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The  Unfolding  Life 


A  STUDY  OF  DEVELOPMENT 

WITH  REFERENCE  TO 

RELIGIOUS  TRAINING 


BY 

ANTOINETTE  ABERNETHY  LAMOREAUX 


WITH  INTRODUCTION  BY 

MARION  LAWRANCE 


WESTMINSTER  PRESS 

PHILADELPHIA       NEW  YORK       CHICAGO       NASHVIU-E 

ST.  LOUIS       SAN  FRANCISCO 


Copyright  1907 

BY 

Religious  Publishing  Company 


TO 

My  Precious  Father  and  Mother, 

in  whose  daily  ministry 

I  have  seen  the  beauty  and  learned  the  meaning 

of  Christian  Nurture, 

this  book  is  affectionately  dedicated. 


CONTENTS 

Chaptbr  Page 
I    Fundamental  Principles  of   De- 
velopment     13 

II  Early  Childhood 35 

III  Early  Childhood — Continued    .     .     55 

IV  Early  Childhood — Concluded    .     .     75 
V  Childhood — Six  to  Twelve  .     .     .  103 

VI    The  Junior  Age — Nine  to  Twelve  129 

VII     Adolescence 155 

VIII     Middle  and  Late  Adolescence  .     .  173 


INTRODUCTION 


Having  read  with  much  care  the  proot 
sheets  of  this  book,  I  am  prepared  to  say 
three  things  about  it,  and  it  gives  me 
pleasure  to  say  them  here. 

1.  The  book  is  well  named,  *The 
Unfolding  Life."  Turn  which  way 
we  will,  we  see  life  unfolding  all  about  us, 
and  yet  how  faintly  are  its  mysteries 
understood!  And  is  it  not  the  one  thing 
above  all  others,  which  teachers,  mothers, 
fathers  and  all  of  us,  need  to  understand? 
It  is  well  that  our  attention  has  been 
called  to  this  most  vital  of  all  themes  by 
a  book,  whose  very  name  compels  atten- 
tion to  its  content,  and  whose  content  is 
but  its  name  in  fuller  treatment. 

2.  The  book  is  well  written.  Such 
books  as  this  should  be  read  slowly  and 
pondered  well;  but  this  book  by  its 
fascination  will  tempt  one  to  read  too 
rapidly.  Its  line  of  argument  is  logical; 
its  diction  is  as  pure  as  the  bubbling 


INTRODUCTION 

stream;  its  truths  are  evident  and  com- 
pelling. It  presents  the  purest  psychol- 
ogy stripped  of  all  mystifying  techni- 
calities, and  clothed  in  language  which 
even  a  child  can  imderstand.  The 
reason  for  this  is  plain.  It  is  the  ** Beaten 
Oil"  drawn  from  the  rich  and  ripe  ex- 
perience of  one  of  the  best  students  of 
childhood  and  teachers  of  children  in 
our  land. 

3.  The  book  is  well  timed.  Teachers 
are  seeking  now  as  never  before  to  un- 
derstand the  soil  in  which  the  living  seed 
of  God's  Word  is  to  be  cast.  Nothing 
can  be  more  important  than  this.  The 
author  deals  largely  with  the  every  day 
problems  of  the  average  home  and  Sun- 
day School,  thus  rendering  the  highest 
service  to  the  great  army  of  ordinary 
teachers  and  mothers.  While  this  book 
will  be  hailed  with  joy  by  all  such,  it 
will  nevertheless  command  a  place  by  the 
side  of  the  highest  grade  books  on  the 
subject.  There  never  was  a  time  when 
any  book  on  any  subject  was  more 
greatly  needed  than  this  book  is  needed 
now.     It   would   be   a   boon   indeed   to 


INTRODUCTION 

every  home,  and  to  every  Sunday  School 
as  well,  if  all  teachers,  mothers,  yes,  and 
fathers  too,  would  read  and  re-read 
'The  Unfolding  Life." 

Marion  Lawrance. 

Chicago,  March,  1908. 


FOREWORD 


The  greatest  thing  in  the  world  is  a 
human  life.  The  greatest  work  in  the 
world  is  the  helpful  touch  upon  that  life. 
Here  and  there  an  artist  in  soul  culture 
is  found  at  the  task,  but  the  many  are 
unskilled  and  the  product  of  the  labor  is 
far  from  a  manhood  "perfect  in  Christ." 

In  dealing  with  things,  the  vessel 
marred  in  the  making  can  be  set  aside  or 
fashioned  anew,  but  a  life  is  for  eternity. 
The  faulty  work  can  not  be  undone.  The 
mistake  can  never  be  wholly  rectified, 
for  life  never  yields  up  what  is  given  it. 
The  look,  the  word,  the  invisible  atmos- 
phere of  the  home  and  church,  the 
sights  and  sounds  of  all  the  busy  days  en- 
ter the  super-sensitive  and  retentive 
soul  of  the  child  and  are  woven  into  life 
tissue.  Character  has  no  other  from 
which  to  fashion  itself.  Therefore  its 
final  beauty  and  worth  will  be  determined 


jf  FOREWORD 

in  large  measure  by  the  quality  of  the 

material  which  entered  in. 

It  is  with  earnest  desire  to  help  some 
parent  or  teacher  in  the  divine  work  of 
soul  nurture,  that  this  volume  is  offered. 
There  is  no  attempt  to  add  to  knowledge 
in  Child  Study  or  Psychology,  but  rather 
to  interpret  certain  of  their  fundamental 
facts  and  principles  with  reference  to  Re- 
ligious Training. 


CHAPTER  I 

FUNDAMENTAL     PRINCIPLES    OF 
DEVELOPMENT. 

Row  Upon  row  they  stretched,  fifteen 
acres  of  regal  chrysanthemums,  roses 
pink,  yellow,  white  and  red,  fragile  lilies  of 
the  valley,  carnations  and  vivid  orchids, 
no  two  alike,  yet  all  expressions  of  plant 
life.  Skilled  gardeners  from  England  and 
Germany  were  busy  with  these  exquisite 
flower  children,  watering,  pruning  and 
training  upon  slender  cords,  that  every 
bud  might  come  to  perfect  unfolding. 
The  laws  of  the  plant  world  and  the 
law  of  each  individual  flower  were  well 
known  to  them.  They  knew  that  all  re- 
quired sunshine  and  soil,  warmth  and 
moisture,  but  in  varying  amount.  The 
chrysanthemums  grew  in  the  sunlight, 
while  only  a  few  days  before  cutting 
could  the  lilies  of  the  valley  be  released 
from  their  darkened  beds.  All  needed 
cultivation  but  not  in  the  same  way. 
Some  were  massed,  while  yonder  were 

13 


14  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

thousands  of  carnations,  and  every  one 
sole  monarch  of  its  own  little  garden 
plot.  Painstakingly  and  completely,  day 
after  day,  the  needs  of  each  frail  life  were 
met,  until  the  flowers  grown  in  this  great- 
est of  Canadian  greenhouses  have  become 
renowned  far  across  the  border  for  their 
unsurpassed  beauty,   coloring  and  size. 

The  quiet  walk  between  the  glorious 
masses  of  bloom  that  October  afternoon 
brought  a  vision  of  a  greater  Child  garden, 
with  an  infinite  variety  of  human  plants  to 
be  tended,  every  one  with  its  own  individ- 
uality, needs,  possibilities  and  a  divine 
purpose  for  it  cherished  in  the  heart  of 
the  Heavenly  Gardener.  The  work  of 
nurture  He  has  given  to  parents  and  teach- 
ers, longing  unspeakably  that  it  shall  be 
so  wise  and  tender  that  His  plan  for  every 
life  may  be  realized. 

But  as  the  earnest  soul  takes  up  the 
task,  it  seems  so  bewildering.  'Three 
little  ones  in  the  home,  and  every  one 
different!  Ten  boys  in  the  Sunday 
School  class  and  no  two  alike!  Where 
does  nurture  begin?  How  is  it  carried 
on?" 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DEVELOPMENT      15 

Though  the  differences  in  human  Uves 
are  countless,  there  are  certain  great 
likenesses.  All  have  life,  needs,  possi- 
bilities; they  all  grow  and  develop  in  the 
same  general  way.  From  these  common 
likenesses  have  been  formulated  a  few 
principles  which  are  as  helpful  to  a  child 
gardener  as  a  knowledge  of  the  laws  of 
plant  life  to  one  who  nurtures  roses 
and  carnations.  Their  understanding  is 
not  dependent  upon  physical  parenthood. 
God  will  interpret  the  meaning  to  any 
one  whom  He  calls  into  fellowship  with 
Himself  in  the  matchless  work  of  soul 
culture. 

I.  The  First  Principle  deals  with  the 
nature  of  life — What  is  it  ?  Some  answer 
must  be  given  in  order  to  arrive  at  an  aim, 
a  method,  and  an  inspiration  for  work. 
If  a  child  is  only  a  beautiful  figure  upon 
which  to  display  dainty  garments,  the 
mother  has  a  plain  pathway  marked  out 
for  her.  If  a  boy  is  a  capacity  to  be 
filled,  or  a  machine  to  grind  out  facts  or 
dollars,  the  teacher's  course  of  action  is 
clear. 

God's  conception  of  life  is  surely  great- 


16  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

er  than  these,  yet  He  never  gave  a  defini- 
tion. Jesus  said  it  is  more  than  meat, 
that  it  is  worth  more  than  all  the  world, 
that  it  does  not  consist  in  abundance  oi 
things,  that  it  is  eternal,  but  He  nowhere 
tells  us  what  it  is,  for  He  can  not.  It  is  a 
part  of  God.  He  can  only  make  us  un- 
derstand it  in  any  wise  b}^  giving  its  char- 
acteristics and  values.  Perhaps  these 
may  come  to  us  more  clearly  through  con- 
sidering first  what  life  is  not. 

1.  Life  is  not  merely  ''plastic  clay'* 
to  be  moulded,  or  a  ''block  of  marble"  to 
be  hewn  according  to  the  will  of  the 
sculptor. 

This  poetic  conception  emphasizes 
rightly  the  tremendous  power  of  environ- 
ment and  personality  in  shaping  character, 
but  it  is  really  a  dangerous  half  truth.  If 
the  child  were  a  block  of  marble,  he  would 
be  no  different  from  the  dead,  inert 
lump  that  lies  in  the  studio  awaiting  the 
will  of  the  sculptor.  They  would  both  be 
things.  But  a  child  has  life,  and  the 
difference  between  life  and  thing  lies  in 
an  inner  power  or  activity  which  life 
possesses  and  uses  when  and  as  it  will. 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DEVELOPMENT      17 

This  activity  has  to  be  reckoned  with. 
Sun  and  rain  and  earth  can  not  make  a 
plant  grow  if  it  does  not  use  its  own  mys- 
terious inner  force  upon  them.  No  sort 
of  influence  can  affect  a  life,  if  the  life 
does  not  respond  to  it.  This  response 
will  be  either  receiving  or  rejecting  the 
influences  that  come,  working  with  or 
against  them.  Assuredly  this  is  a  con- 
dition very  different  from  ''plastic  clay." 
Two  great  tasks,  therefore,  are  included 
in  the  work  of  nurture:  the  first,  to  see 
that  all  that  comes  to  plastic  life  from  the 
outside  is  what  it  ought  to  be;  the  second, 
to  somehow  arouse  the  power  within  to 
vigorous  effort  upon  the  best  things. 

2.  Life  is  not  a  "pure  white  page,*' 
even  in  its  beginning. 

There  is  here  also  a  half  truth,  and  an 
error.  Life  is  unstained  by  guilt  in  its 
early  years.  It  comes  innocent  from  the 
hand  of  God,  but  fingers  long  since  van- 
ished have  traced  lines  that  mar  the  per- 
fect whiteness.  There  are  tendencies 
away  from  God  as  well  as  toward  Him, 
and  these  are  not  the  result  of  environ- 
ment.    Environment  will  cultivate  tend- 


18  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

encies  but  can  not  implant  them.  Fa- 
voring conditions  will  make  an  apple  tree 
produce  magnificent  apples,  but  they  will 
never  implant  in  it  any  tendency  to 
bear  roses  or  produce  thorns.  Failure 
to  recognize  the  fact  of  two  sets  of  tend- 
encies in  the  life  will  lead  to  a  fatal  mis- 
take in  nurture.  Christ  will  be  presented 
only  as  an  Example  and  not  as  a  Savior 
also,  thus  setting  before  a  life  its  pattern 
and  leaving  it  impotent  to  reach  it. 

3 .  A  life  in  its  beginning  is  not  a ' '  little 
man.'* 

The  element  of  truth  in  this  conception 
is  perhaps  less  than  in  either  of  these  pre- 
ceding. It  is  indeed  true  that  child  life 
is  that  out  of  which  man  life  is  to  come, 
but  the  difference  is  more  vital  than  that 
of  inches  or  strength.  The  bulb  shelters 
a  lily  life,  but  the  difference  is  greater  than 
size.  The  chrysalis  will  bring  forth  the 
butterfly,  but  the  two  are  not  identical. 
Childhood  will  unfold  into  manhood,  but 
each  has  its  own  characteristics  and  needs, 
differing  in  largest  degree. 

The  physiologist  tells  us  that  it  would 
be  hard  to  find  many  important  points 


PRINCIPL  iCS  OF  DEVELOPMENT      19 

beyond  the  most  fundamental  laws  in 
which  the  infant  and  the  adult  exactly 
resemble  each  other.  (Oppenheim.)  In 
bodily  proportions,  in  actual  composition 
of  bones,  muscles,  blood  and  nerves,  in 
size  and  development  of  the  organs,  the 
differences  are  wide. 

The  psychologist  proves  that  there  is 
equal  variance  in  mental  conditions. 
The  man  has  a  sense  of  responsibility  to 
his  neighbor  and  to  God,  unknown  to 
child  life.  He  thinks  and  reasons  and 
judges  as  the  child  mind  can  not.  His 
whole  outlook  upon  life  is  opposite  from 
that  of  the  child. 

We  recognize  this  difference  in  caring 
for  the  body,  and  the  babe  is  fed  on  milk 
and  the  boy  on  meat.  But  the  difference 
must  be  recognized  as  equally  impor- 
tant in  caring  for  the  soul.  Just  as  meat 
is  meat,  whether  minced  or  uncut,  and 
therefore  unsuited  for  a  tiny  life,  so 
doctrine  is  doctrine,  whether  stated  in 
words  of  one  syllable  or  four,  and  equally 
unsuited  to  a  beginning  life.  Paul  refers 
to  those  who  need  milk  and  not  solid  food, 
spiritually,   because  they   are   ''without 


20  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

experience  of  the  word  of  righteousness/' 
clearly  indicating  a  difference  in  the  kind 
of  instruction,  not  the  amount.  The 
subject  matter  must  be  adapted  to  the 
life,  not  merely  the  number  of  syllables, 
the  method  of  teaching,  as  well  as  the 
length  of  the  lesson.  Without  this  careful 
adaptation  of  food  and  method,  the 
developing  life  will  be  under-nourished, 
and  the  most  vigorous  maturity  be  im- 
possible. 

But  these  negative  statements  only 
safeguard  against  mistakes  by  telling  us 
what  to  avoid.  A  real  working  basis 
must  be  found  in  a  positive  principle. 

The  study  of  an  unfolding  life  at  any 
time  in  its  development  always  reveals 
two  supreme  facts,  possibilities  peculiar 
to  that  period,  and  self  activity.  The 
First  Principle  of  development  combines 
these  two  facts  and  gives  us  our  nearest 
approach  to  a  definition. 

"Life  is  a  bundle  of  possibilities  and 
self  activity." 

The  block  of  marble  has  possibilities, 
so  has  molten  metal  and  a  tube  of 
paint;  but  life  has  possibilities  plus  inner 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DEVELOPMENT      21 

power.  The  three  imperative  "Oughts'* 
for  the  parent  or  teacher  are  herein  sug- 
gested. 

First,  he  ought  to  be  able  to  recognize 
each  possibility  as  it  appears. 

Second,  he  ought  to  know  how  best  to 
deal  with  it. 

Third,  he  ought  to  know  how  to  stimu- 
late the  activity  to  greatest  endeavor. 

II.  The  Second  Principle  states  the 
relation  of  nurture  to  the  unfolding  of 
these  possibilities. 

"The  direction  and  degree  of  develop- 
ment are  largely  determined  by  nurture." 

Every  possibility  in  a  life,  unless  it  die 
out,  must  develop  either  upward  or  down- 
ward, toward  the  best  or  worst.  This 
development,  whether  in  a  plant  or  a 
boy,  depends  on  what  is  given  the  life  to 
work  with  and  the  use  that  is  made  of  it, 
or,  stated  in  more  dignified  terms — ^the 
development  is  a  result  of  influences  that 
come  to  a  life  and  the  response  made  to 
them  by  activity.  The  sort  of  influences 
and  the  sort  of  response  given  will  deter- 
mine the  sort  of  development.  When 
some  one  is  consciously  endeavoring  to 


22  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

make  both  outer  influences  and  the  inner 
working  of  the  hfe  the  best  possible,  it  is 
called  nurture. 

The  responsibility  that  grows  out  of 
this  thought  of  nurture  is  almost  crush- 
ing, yet  its  opportunity  is  sublime.  To 
make  a  boy  strong  for  his  life  work,  be- 
cause the  right  word  was  spoken  at  the 
critical  moment,  the  encouragement  given 
just  when  his  purpose  was  faltering,  to 
help  a  girl  reach  glorious  young  woman- 
hood because  the  inspiration  came  as  she 
stood  at  the  parting  of  the  ways — surely 
this,  in  a  very  real  sense,  is  working  with 
God.  The  story  of  almost  every  life  of 
marked  power,  reveals  a  human  touch 
at  the  cross  roads.  Is  this  one  meaning 
in  the  Master's  words,  "Inasmuch  as  ye 
did  it,"  or  ** Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not?" 
''I  would  have  been  on  the  foreign 
mission  field  seven  years  ago,"  said  a 
splendid  young  man,  ''had  not  my  Sun- 
day School  teacher  laughed  at  me  when 
I  told  him  my  new  born  desire.  I  expect 
to  go  now,  but  what  of  those  seven 
years?" 

If  the  home  and  the  church  should  be- 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DEVELOPMENT     23 

gin  at  once  to  obey  God's  command  to 
nurture  the  children  "In  the  chastening 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord,"  with  all 
that  means,  the  next  generation  would 
see  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  given  to 
Christ  and  the  advent  of  the  King. 

III.  The  Third  Principle  defines  the 
work  of  nurture. 

**  Nurture  must  care  for  both  nourish- 
ment and  activity." 

1 .     The  Watch  Care  over  Nourishment. 

Nourishment  is  the  general  term  for  all 
that  upon  which  the  life  feeds.  It  is 
given  both  consciously  and  unconscious- 
ly and  is  absorbed  in  like  manner,  but  in 
its  effect  upon  the  life,  the  unconscious 
nourishment  has  greater  power. 

(1)     Unconscious  Nourishment. 

(a)  The  first  factor  in  unconscious 
nourishment  is  personality. 

Just  as  truly  as  the  physical  life  is 
nourished  by  life,  so  is  the  mental  and  the 
spiritual.  Standards  of  living,  ideas,  a 
sense  of  values,  opinions,  do  not  come 
from  text-books  but  fathers  and  mothers. 
The  lesson  from  the  printed  page  may 
fail  to  gain  entrance,  but  the  lesson  from 


24  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

the  teacher's  life,  never.  This  explains 
the  success  of  many  a  humble  mother  and 
the  failure  of  many  an  intellectual  teach- 
er. It  is  at  the  very  heart  of  all  work 
for  another. 

Its  first  message  is  a  personal  one.  It 
tells  the  worker  that  his  life  is  more  com- 
pelling than  his  voice;  that  the  Word 
must  again  become  flesh  to  give  it  author- 
ity. It  tells  him  further  that  if  he  is  to 
be  the  bread  of  life  to  growing  souls,  his 
own  pasturage  must  not  be  things,  but 
in  reality,  the  living  Christ. 

The  other  message  applies  to  his  work. 
While  every  life  that  touches  his  will  al- 
ways carry  away  something  from  the  con- 
tact, the  most  helpful  human  life  can 
never  suffice  for  another's  nourishment. 
Each  soul  needs  the  complete  Christ  for 
itself.  The  amazing  thing  among  par- 
ents and  teachers  is  their  unconcern  over 
His  absence  from  the  lives  of  the  children. 
Years  pass,  and  precept,  lesson  and  ad- 
monition are  given,  while  Christ,  the  Life, 
is  not  definitely  and  personally  offered. 
"According  to  their  pasture  so  were  they 
filled."  Is  not  this  the  explanation  of  so 
many  meagre  lives? 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DEVELOPMENT      25 

(b)  The  second  factor  of  unconscious 
nourishment  is  environment  with  its 
subtle  atmosphere. 

The  importance  of  environment  is 
found  in  this  great  law,  that  life  tends  to 
become  like  that  which  is  around  it.  So 
strong  is  the  tendency  that  the  only  es- 
cape from  conformity  lies  in  real  struggle. 
This  a  little  child  rarely  puts  forth,  and  an 
adult  not  always,  for  it  is  far  easier  to 
follow  the  line  of  least  resistance  and  *'be 
like  other  people." 

Growing  out  of  this  power  of  environ- 
ment comes  the  problem  of  all  philan- 
thropic and  religious  work — how  to  over- 
come the  influence  of  harmful  surround- 
ings. The  need  is  obvious  when  the 
surroundings  are  vicious,  yet  the  home 
does  not  need  to  be  in  the  slums  to  injure 
a  growing  life.  It  only  needs  to  be  Christ- 
less.  This  may  seem  a  very  radical  state- 
ment, but  it  is  nevertheless  true.  Arrest- 
ing the  highest  development  is  as  truly  an 
injury  as  giving  to  life  wrong  direction. 
Has  not  a  plant  been  positively  injured 
when  its  most  beautiful  possibilities  are 
unrealized   because   of   unfavoring   con- 


26  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

ditions?  Is  not  a  body,  undersized  and 
stunted  because  of  lack  ot  fresh  air 
and  food,  as  trul}^  deformed  as  though  the 
back  were  bent?  Has  not  that  soul  re- 
ceived the  most  cruel  of  all  injuries,  when 
its  divinest  possibilities  can  never  be  at- 
tained either  because  of  spiritual  starva- 
tion or  misdirection?  The  Church  and 
the  Sunday  School  attempt  to  furnish  a 
counteracting  environment,  but  it  is 
infrequent  and  brief.  The  only  power 
which  can  render  this  temporary,  religious 
environment  moie  effective  in  influen- 
cing character  than  a  harmful,  permanent 
one,  is  the  Divine.  A  church  building  or 
a  Sunday  School  session  of  itself,  can 
accomplish  little,  placed  over  against  a 
home.  Methods  of  grading  and  forms  of 
worship  are  impotent  in  themselves.  It 
is  only  a  living  Christ,  actually  vitalizing 
the  lesson  and  the  sermon  and  the  plan 
of  work  Who  makes  them  efficacious. 

If  this  be  so,  then  the  teacher  who  goes 
to  the  home  itself  to  press  the  claims  of  a 
personal  Savior  on  the  father  and  mother, 
has  after  all  reached  the  heart  of  the  prob- 
lem of  environment. 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DEVELOPMENT      27 

(c)  The  third  factor  of  unconscious 
nourishment  is  the  Superhuman  Power. 

This  thought  has  been  suggested  in 
connection  with  personality  and  environ- 
ment, but  it  demands  separate  emphasis. 
It  is  not  an  easy  thing  in  the  stress  of  the 
visible  to  remember  the  greater  power  of 
the  Invisible.  The  most  earnest  Chris- 
tian worker  is  sometimes  overwhelmed  by 
discouragement  or,  again,  unduly  con- 
fident because  of  the  perfection  of  system 
and  method,  forgetting  that  God  knows 
no  obstacle,  and  that  He  alone  can  put 
life  into  a  plan  of  work. 

But  though  God  uses  men  and  methods, 
He  does  not  always  so  approach  a  life. 
He  deals  directly  with  a  soul  through  the 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  life  re- 
ceives its  most  holy  nurture  in  those 
sacred  hours.  Therefore,  the  highest 
service  permitted  a  Sunday  School  teach- 
er is  to  pray  effectually  for  the  brooding 
Spirit  to  rest  upon  the  pupils  in  his  class. 
The  mother  can  do  nothing  which  shall 
mean  so  much  for  the  precious  life  in  her 
arms  as  learning,  herself,  the  secret  of  pre- 
vailing prayer,  for,  ''If  we  ask  anything 


28  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

according  to  His  Will,  He  heare.^i  us;  and 
if  we  know  that  He  heareth  us,  whatso- 
ever we  ask,  we  know  that  we  have  the 
petitions  which  we  have  asked  of  Him." 
Therefore,  O  Lord,  "Teach  us  to  pray." 

(2)     Conscious  Nourishment. 

This  is  definite  instruction  so  given  to  a 
life  that  it  is  appropriated.  A  large  part 
of  attempted  instruction  is  never  taken  in. 
"I  have  told  you  over  and  over  again," 
says  the  despairing  mother,  but  telling 
does  not  always  involve  receiving.  Plac- 
ing nourishing  food  before  the  boy  does 
not  necessarily  mean  stronger  muscle  and 
purer  blood.  He  must  eat  and  digest  it. 
Teaching,  to  be  nourishment,  requires 
first,  careful  adaptation  of  the  subject 
matter,  then  presentation  in  such  a  way 
that  the  mind  will  voluntarily  reach  out, 
lay  hold  upon  and  assimilate  it.  God 
again  gives  the  key  to  real  teaching  in  the 
word  *  *  engraft . "  Its  process  in  the  phys- 
ical and  mental  world  is  identical.  First, 
the  delicate  adjustment,  then  a  vital 
union,  and  lastly,  new  life  resulting. 

2.     The  Watch  Care  over  Activity. 

We  have  considered  nurture  in  its  work 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DEVELOPMENT     29 

of  supplying  the  best  nourishment  to 
growing  souls,  and  now  its  care  for  activi- 
ty must  be  noted.  Since  the  subject  will 
be  discussed  more  fully  in  a  succeeding 
chapter,  only  the  necessity  for  the  nurture 
will  be  considered  here.  This  necessity 
appears  in  the  four-fold  result  of  activi- 
ty. 

(1)  New  Experiences. 

This  is  the  first  result  to  the  child  from 
ceaseless  movement  of  hands  and  feet  and 
eager  eyes.  In  early  life  he  is  not  con- 
scious of  seeking  the  new  experience,  he 
only  wants  to  be  in  motion.  In  later 
life,  energy  is  definitely  put  forth  for 
some  desired  end.  But  whatever  the 
motive,  experiences  helpful  or  harmful, 
according  to  the  sort  of  activity,  result, 
and  they  enter  character  at  par  value. 

(2)  Growth  or  Increase  in  Size. 
Activity  is  necessary  before  an3rthing 

given  to  the  body  or  the  soul  can  become 
a  part  of  life.  Food  must  be  acted  upon 
by  the  digestive,  circulatory  and  assimila- 
tive organs  to  make  it  bone  and  muscle 
'and  nerve.  The  mind  must  think  upon 
the  fact  in  order  to  add  it  to  the  store  of 


30  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

knowledge.  The  heavenly  vision  must  be 
obeyed  before  Christian  experience  is 
enlarged  by  it. 

But  there  is  another  aspect  of  this  same 
thought.  Just  as  truly  as  activity  must 
precede  assimilation,  so  truly  does  assim- 
ilation follow  activity.  It  may  be  stated 
more  simply  in  this  way.  Nothing  can 
become  a  part  of  the  life  until  it  has  been 
acted  upon;  when  it  has  been  acted  upon 
it  can  not  be  taken  out  of  the  life.  When 
digestion  is  finished  and  the  food  is  bone 
and  muscle,  it  can  not  be  withdrawn. 
When  the  idea  has  been  thought  in  or 
acted  upon,  it  has  by  that  process  become 
a  part  of  the  life,  and  though  it  may  fade 
from  memory  its  influence  is  abiding. 

(3)  Development  or  Increase  of  Power 
and  Skill. 

Every  muscle  exercised  gains  greater 
freedom.  Every  knotty  problem  mas- 
tered means  increased  mental  ability. 
Every  victory  means  greater  power  in 
resisting  temptation.  Whatever  the  ac- 
tion, whether  good  or  bad,  helpful  or 
harmful,  greater  skill  and  power  in  that 
direction  follows  it. 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DEVELOPMENT     31 

This  other  very  important  fact  needs 
to  be  clear,  that  no  amount  of  energy 
put  forth  for  another  will  mean  develop- 
ment for  him.  He  must  exercise  his 
own  arm  for  strength  and  solve  his 
own  problem.  Development  only  comes 
through  the  effort  of  each  individual  for 
himself;  hence  the  best  teacher  is  the  one 
who  can  rouse  the  pupil  to  the  greatest 
endeavor. 

(4)     Habit  Formation. 

It  is  impossible  to  act,  physically,  men- 
tally or  spiritually,  without  making  it 
easier  to  repeat  the  action,  and  soon  ease 
passes  to  tendency,  then  tendency  to  com- 
pulsion, and  life  is  in  the  grip  of  a  habit. 
This  is  the  inevitable  outcome  of  activity, 
until  "nine-tenths  of  life  is  lived  in  the 
mould  of  habit." 

If  it  be  true  that  habit  is  ''ten  times 
second  nature,"  the  importance  of  direct- 
ing activity  toward  the  formation  of  right 
habits  needs  no  discussion. 

IV.  The  Fourth  Principle  of  unfold- 
ing life  deals  with  its  crises.  "The  crucial 
points  in  development  are  those  times 
when  new  possibilities  begin  to  unfold." 


32  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

The  life  comes  from  God  complete  in  its 
possibilities,  but  at  the  beginning  all  is 
in  germ.  As  life  progresses,  develop- 
ment of  these  possibilities  proceeds,  but 
it  is  not  uniform.  The  body  acquires 
ability  to  control  the  larger  muscles  before 
it  can  adjust  the  finer  and  more  complex 
ones,  as  instanced  in  the  child's  ability 
to  walk  before  he  can  thread  a  needle. 
The  mind  is  able  to  imagine  before  it  can 
reason  clearly.  The  feelings  center  on 
self  before  they  reach  out  to  the  world 
around .  As  every  new  possibility  begins 
to  develop,  tv/o  serious  facts  must  be 
remembered: 

(1)  Direction  must  be  given  in  the 
beginning  before  tendencies  are  fixed. 

A  beginning  is  always  a  time  of  easy 
adjustment  and  flexibility.  Business 
corporations  can  readily  alter  a  course  of 
action  before  a  policy  has  been  estab- 
lished. The  nurseryman  can  easily  secure 
the  straight  trunk  of  the  mature  tree  in 
the  yielding  sapling.  The  law  is  just  as 
true  when  it  touches  human  life.  The 
trend  of  any  possibility  is  determined 
largely  in  the  beginning  of  its  unfolding. 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DEVELOPMENT      33 

After  that  time  has  gone  by,  conditions 
are  practically  fixed,  and  he  that  is  un- 
just will  be  unjust  still,  and  he  that  is 
holy  will  be  holy  still. 

(2)  Future  strength  and  vigor  are 
largely  determined  in  the  beginning  of 
development. 

It  is  well  nigh  impossible  to  overcome 
the  effect  of  early  neglect.  If  the  cul- 
ture of  the  growing  stalk  is  passed  over, 
the  com  in  the  ear  can  not  be  full.  If  the 
bodily  needs  of  the  boy  are  unmet,  he 
can  not  reach  his  full  development  as  a 
man.  If  his  budding  intellectual  life, 
his  awakening  feeling  life,  or  the  delicate 
unfolding  of  his  spiritual  life  is  neglected, 
a  complete,  rounded  out  maturity  is  im- 
possible. A  starved  childhood  is  always 
the  prophecy  of  a  stunted  manhood,  while 
life  nourished  in  its  beginning  foretells 
vigorous  maturity. 

V.  The  very  important  question  now 
arises,  "How  may  these  crucial  times  be 
recognized?"  The  answer  is  given  in  the 
Fifth  Principle.  "A  new  interest  always 
accompanies  an  awakening  possibility." 

The  increasing  love  of  a  story  discloses 


34  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

a  growing  imagination.  The  passionate 
hero  worship  of  a  boy's  heart  reveals  the 
fact  of  a  budding  ideal.  The  interest  in 
clubs  and  desire  for  companionship  tell 
of  awakening  social  feelings.  Life  is 
always  the  exponent  of  its  own  need  to 
one  who  cares  to  know,  and  it  further  re- 
veals what  should  be  given  it,  and  how. 

VI.  The  Sixth  Principle  has  already 
been  touched  upon  in  the  preceding 
discussion,  but  it  needs  the  emphasis  of 
special  statement,  because  of  its  import- 
ance. "Development  is  from  within, 
out,  through  what  is  absorbed,  not  from 
without,  in,  through  external  application 
without   absorption . ' ' 

If  development  were  a  matter  of  ex- 
ternal application,  the  post  would  grow 
and  the  stone  and  the  stick,  because  they 
have  earth  and  air  and  moisture  around 
them.  If  it  came  from  without,  in,  the 
most  admonished  child  would  be  the  best, 
the  most  talked  to  pupil  the  wisest,  but 
the  reverse  is  usually  true.  That  which 
adheres  simply  to  the  surface  of  rock  and 
child  is  veneer,  which  the  testing  cir- 
cumstance will  rub  off.     Only  that  which 


PRINCIPLES  OF  DEVELOPMENT     35 

is  assimilated    is  of   any   value   to  the 
life. 

These  are  the  great  principles  revealed 
in  the  development  of  life  from  infancy 
to  maturity.  The  factor  of  human  con- 
tact appears  in  every  one.  The  question, 
"What  is  my  touch  upon  this  unfolding 
life?"  can  not  be  evaded.  The  stone- 
cutter takes  the  marble  and  hews  out  the 
rough  block;  the  sculptor  finds  its  hidden 
soul.  The  artisan  takes  the  canvas  and 
the  common  sign  appears;  the  artist 
makes  it  immortal.  But  God  gives  life 
to  parents  and  teachers  to  fashion.  Will 
hands  clumsy  and  unskilled,  miss  the 
perfect  beauty,  or  the  touch  of  master 
workmanship  bring  forth  a  likeness  to  the 
Christ? 


CHAPTER   II 
EARLY  CHILDHOOD 

.  The  first  period  of  life,  Early  Child- 
hood, includes  the  years  from  birth  to 
about  six  or,  in  Sunday  School  phra- 
seology, the  ''Cradle  Roll,"  from  birth  to 
three,  and  the  "Beginners,"  from  three 
to  six. 

It  is  a  temptation  to  note  at  length 
the  marvelous  achievements  of  a  little 
life  in  its  earliest  years,  as  it  comes, 

"Out  from  the  shore  of  the  great  unknown, 
BHnd  and  waiHng  and  alone, 
Into  the  light  of  day. 

i^i       i^       ^       ^       ^       ^ 

From  the  unknown  sea  that  reels  and  rolls, 
Specked  with  the  barks  of  little  souls, 
Barks  that  were  launched  on  the  other  side, 
And  slipped  from  Heaven  on  an  ebbing  tide." 

The  wealth  of  material,  however,  clus- 
tering around  each  period  of  developing 
life  is  so  great  that  selection  must  be 
made.      Therefore  only  those  facts  illu- 

37 


38  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

minating  the  chosen  theme  of  religious 
nurture  will  be  considered. 

The  baby's  world  is  a  ''big,  blooming, 
buzzing  confusion,"  according  to  James, 
but  gradually,  cosmos  emerges  from 
chaos.  The  senses,  clouded  at  first,  be- 
come clear  and  active.  Adjustment  and 
voluntary  control  of  the  larger  muscles 
are  secured.  The  art  of  walking  is 
mastered,  and  the  great  feat  of  learning 
a  language  practically  unaided,  is  well 
under  way.  The  awakening  mind  learns 
to  know  certain  objects  and  simplest  re- 
lationships within  a  very  limited  sphere, 
and  through  ceaseless  activity,  new  ex- 
periences are  constantly  coming  in  to  the 
soul. 

Guided  by  instinct  and  impulse,  re- 
sponding to  any  wind  that  blows,  sen- 
sitive and  retentive  as  the  plate  of  a 
camera, 

"Just  a-yeaming 
To  be  learning 
Anything  at  all," 

can  any  religious  nurture  be  given  to 
this  tiny  little  bundle  of  possibilities  ? 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  39 

Manifestly,  it  will  not  be  through  pre- 
cept and  admonition,  for  they  are  mean- 
ingless, yet  never  will  life  be  more  open 
to  the  influences  of  impression  and  at- 
mosphere than  at  this  time.  The  child 
can  not  understand  their  import  as  they 
come,  but  he  will  feel  them.  He  does 
not  understand  love,  but  he  feels  it.  He 
can  not  comprehend  personality,  but  his 
restless  little  body  grows  quiet  in  the 
tender  arms  of  a  strong  father.  He  re- 
sponds to  the  fretfulness  or  gentleness  of 
the  mother,  the  noisy  confusion  or  peace 
of  the  home.  These  multitudinous  im- 
pressions become  his  life,  though  he  can 
not  grasp  their  meaning. 

Just  as  surely  does  he  drink  in  impres- 
sions which  have  the  Divine  element. 
What  they  speak  to  him  only  God  knows, 
but  some  message  is  theirs.  The  picture 
of  the  "Good  Shepherd,"  of  ''Jesus  Bless- 
ing Little  Children,"  of  the  ''Madonna 
and  Child,"  perform  their  silent  ministry 
to  his  soul.  He  is  peculiarly  sensitive 
to  the  reverence  and  worship  in  lofty 
music.  In  the  evening  tide  of  a  Sabbath 
day,  a  father  was  seated  at  the  piano, 


40  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

while  the  two  older  children  stood  near, 
and  a  wee  one  of  two  and  a  half  years 
listened  from  his  mother's  arms.  The 
songs  used  in  Sunday  School  were  sung 
one  after  the  other,  and  then  came  the 
baby  voice,  "Papa,  sing  about  Dod." 
"Do  you  mean,  'Holy,  Holy,  Holy  is  the 
Lord'?"  he  asked.  "Yes,"  was  the 
answer,  and  in  the  hush  of  the  twilight, 
the  worship  of  the  children  blended  with 
the  worship  of  the  angels,  and  who  shall 
say  they  did  not  all  behold  the  Father's 
face? 

The  nurture  of  these  years  is  as  silent 
as  that  of  the  dewdrop  upon  the  blade 
of  grass,  but  it  is  as  real.  God's  voice  is 
the  still,  small  voice  that  ever  speaks  in 
quietness.  The  stillness  of  the  moment 
at  the  mother's  knee,  the  prayer  repeated 
in  the  reverent,  low  tone  of  the  mother's 
voice,  the  earnest  prayer  for  him  offered 
in  his  presence,  the  Christ-like  living  in 
the  home,  all  carry  their  holy  influence 
to  his  soul.  He  feels  God,  without  know- 
ing Him.  But  there  shall  come  a  day 
when  the  Voice  that  has  gently  called 
him  will  be  recognized,  and  he  will  say, 
*'Speak,  Lord,  for  thy  servant  heareth." 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  41 

But  general  nurture  must  be  supple- 
mented by  the  definite  nurture  of  each 
growing  possibility.  Though  the  princi- 
ples underlying  this  careful  watch  care 
and  training  are  stated  in  connection 
with  Early  Childhood,  they  are  applicable 
to'  every  succeeding  period  where  the 
same  power  is  developing. 

PHYSICAL  ACTIVITY 

The  most  marked  characteristic  of  the 
entire  period  of  early  childhood  is  physi- 
cal activity,  manifesting  itself  largely  in 
restlessness.  The  nervous  force  which  la- 
ter will  be  used  in  complex  mental  pro- 
cesses, now  seeks  expression  through 
hands  and  feet  and  tireless  body. 

In  early  infancy  activity  is  entirely 
purposeless  and  unwilled,  merely  the  in- 
stinctive movement  of  every  part  of  the 
body.  Gradually,  however,  through  the 
contact  with  different  objects  brought 
about  by  his  restlessness,  the  baby  learns 
to  reach  out  for  what  he  wants,  and  pur- 
pose in  the  activity  begins  to  appear. 
Later,  play  affords  an  outlet  for  the  con- 
stant flow  of  this  pent-up  power,  and  the 


y 


42  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

child  lives  over  again  those  activities  of 
the  busy  life  around  which  appeal  to  him. 

From  the  previous  discussion  of  activ- 
ity, we  know  that  the  child  is  bringing 
about  far-reaching  results,  all  unconscious 
to  himself,  through  this  never  ceasing 
restlessness  of  every  waking  moment. 
He  is  growing,  through  the  kneading  pro- 
cess of  constant  movement;  he  is  develop- 
ing freer  use  of  his  muscles;  he  is  building 
new  experiences  into  character,  and  he  is 
forming  habits  of  life.  How  then  may 
this  great  force  be  nurtured  so  that  great- 
est results  shall  follow?  . 

The  law  of  activity  must  first  be  under- 
stood. It  has  been  very  succinctly  stated, 
"Activity  must  act,  explode  or  cease  to 
generate." 

If  it  cease  to  generate  entirely  it  means- 
death,  for  every  organ  of  the  body  is  us- 
ing it.  If  it  lessen  in  amount,  it  means 
lowered  vitality,  and  indicates  illness  or 
abnormal  conditions  in  some  way.  The 
over-strained  mother  who  says  to  a  little 
one  of  this  age,  "I  wish  you  could  keep 
still  for  five  minutes,"  does  not  realize 
what  she  is  expressing.     It  has  been  de- 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  43 

monstrated  in  scientific  tests,  that  the 
perfectly  normal  child  under  six  can 
keep  absolutely  still  but  few  consecutive 
seconds,  therefore  the  desire  could  only  be 
fulfilled  through  some  disturbed  physical 
condition  which  would  lessen  the  amount 
of  life  itself.  Any  diminution  is  every- 
where felt,  for  the  same  activit}^  w^hich 
impels  hands  and  feet,  impels  also  the 
hungry  senses,  the  eager  curiosity  and 
every  part  of  a  growing  mental  life.  For- 
tunately for  the  child,  God's  finger  is  on 
the  dynamo  of  his  life,  and  as  long  as  He 
wills  the  activity  can  not  cease  to  gener- 
ate. 

There  are  but  two  alternatives  left,  an 
action  or  an  explosion,  for  activity  can 
no  more  be  confined  than  steam  in  an 
engine.  If  the  explosion  has  occurred,  it 
has  resulted  from  successful  repression. 
The  stopper,  ''Don't,"  has  been  inserted 
in  the  last  opening  through  which  the 
nervous  force  could  expend  itself,  and 
after  a  moment  of  dangerous  calm,  the 
inevitable  occurs,  and  the  happiness  and 
peace  of  the  entire  home  is  for  the  time 
destroyed.     The  result  is  just  as  sure  a^ 


44  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

that  of  confining  an  expanding  gas,  while 
its  disaster  is  wrought  in  the  mental  and 
moral  as  well  as  the  physical  realms. 
Fortunately  again  for  the  well-being  of 
the  child,  it  is  difficult  to  secure  the  last 
outlet,  so  fertile  is  his  busy  brain. 

But  without  the  explosion,  the  results 
that  come  to  a  child  from  a  policy  of  re- 
pression are  very  serious.  Briefly  stated, 
they  are  first,  irritability  and  nervous- 
ness. The  refinement  of  cruelty  is  dealt 
to  a  little  child,  compelled  by  superior 
force  to  act  contrary  to  God's  law  for 
him  and  ''Keep  quiet."  Activity  which 
should  normally  be  expended,  when  con- 
fined, reacts  upon  the  cells  of  the  body  so 
that  soon  there  are  physical  reasons  be- 
yond the  child's  control  for  his  nervous- 
ness and  crossness. 

Second,  Friction,  in  which  defiance  and 
stubbornness  appear.  The  severest  test 
which  could  be  imposed  upon  adults 
would  be  a  constant  and  apparently 
arbitrary  thwarting  of  their  desires.  Is  it 
to  be  wondered  at  that  a  little,  unreason- 
ing life  which  hears  "don't"  by  the 
scores  of  times  from  morning  till  night, 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  45 

grows  rebellious,  vindictive  and  obstin- 
ate? 

Third,  Unhappiness  and  a  sense  of 
alienation.  Sympathy  between  two 
persons  is  impossible  when  they  are  at 
cross  purposes,  and  happiness  which  is 
God's  gift  to  childhood  can  never  be  real- 
ized when  souls  are  out  of  touch.  Further, 
discouragement  and  consequent  loss  of 
incentive  to  effort  must  inevitably  over- 
whelm a  little  life  that  never  does  any- 
thing right. 

Fourth,  weakened  will  and  character. 
This  is  the  most  serious  result  of  all.  One 
of  the  great  principles  already  stated 
makes  it  clear  that  development  can  come 
only  through  the  activity  of  the  individ- 
ual himself.  If  the  child  is  constantly 
withheld  from  doing  by  the  word  "don't," 
he  can  not  reach  the  fullest  development 
of  character.  Furthermore,  character  is 
not  built  negatively  but  positively.  A 
building  can  never  be  erected  by  merely 
keeping  out  of  it  all  unworthy  material. 
There  must  be  an  actual  putting  together 
of  brick  and  mortar,  and  the  great  truth 
is  evident  that  whenever  a  place  is  filled 


46  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

by  the  good,  the  bad  is  in  that  very  act 
kept  out,  whether  in  buildings  or  charac- 
ter. The  motive  back  of  many  a  ''don't" 
is  worthy,  and  often  there  may  be  no 
alternative  but  to  instantly  check  an 
action,  but  for  the  effect  on  character 
building  there  is  a  more  excellent  way 
than  repression.  It  lies  in  the  expression 
suggested  in  the  law  of  activity,  but  ex- 
pression under  direction. 

Some  parents  realize  the  necessity  of 
allowing  the  child's  activity  to  be  expend- 
ed, but  fail  to  see  the  other  side  of  the 
matter,  namely,  that  while  activity  means 
development,  the  sort  of  development 
that  follows  will  depend  on  the  character 
of  the  activity.  It  is  important  that  a 
boy's  energy  be  given  an  outlet,  but  it  is 
more  important  whether  it  make  of  him 
a  gentleman  or  a  hoodlum.  The  guid- 
ance or  neglect  of  the  activity  will  de- 
termine which  it  is  to  be. 

Too  frequent  emphasis  can  not  be  put 
upon  the  fact  that  every  outgoing  activ- 
ity traces  a  little  deeper  some  pathway 
that  tends  toward  a  habit.  The  mistake 
is  often  made  of  thinking  that  habits  can 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  47 

be  formed  onty  by  "taking  thought." 
It  is  true  that  some  of  the  finest  habits  of 
life  are  built  into  character  with  painstak- 
ing effort,  but  untidiness  and  selfishness 
and  irreverence  and  all  their  kin  reach 
fullest  unfolding  in  the  thoughtless  out- 
fi^ow  of  activity, when  no  one  is  attending. 

But  activity,  vmtrammeled,  means 
more  than  wrong  habits.  It  means  law- 
lessness and  undisciplined  character. 
The  child  who  has  learned  no  higher 
authority  for  his  acts  than  his  own  errat- 
ic whims,  has  laid  good  foundation  for 
future  disregard  of  the  laws  of  man  and 
God. 

The  converse  of  all  that  has  been  said 
concerning  both  repression  and  neglect 
of  activity  characterizes  its  wise  direction. 
When  the  child,  ignorant  and  unskilled, 
hears  a  voice  saying,  "This  is  the  way, 
walk  ye  in  it,"  his  willing  response  means 
activity  going  out  in  right  channels  or 
the  formation  of  right  habits.  It  means 
a  dual  joy  for  him,  the  joy  of  activity  it- 
self and  also  the  joy  from  the  approval 
and  sympathy  of  the  parent  or  teacher. 
Under   encouragement     he    puts    forth 


48  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

greater  effort,  which  means  constant  de- 
velopment of  greater  power.  Yet  more 
than  all,  it  means  that  he  is  learning  the 
greatest  lesson  of  early  life,  obedience. 

Obedience  is  only  activity  under  law. 
It  begins  with  submission  to  the  will  of 
the  parent,  but  when  at  last  it  is  a  response 
of  the  whole  life  to  the  will  of  God  and 
rendered  of  voluntary  and  loving  choice, 
it  has  reached  its  highest  unfolding.  This 
is  the  goal  toward  which  all  nurture  of 
activity  must  be  directed,  else  no  life  is 
safe  after  it  goes  out  from  the  restraints 
of  the  home.  In  the  heart  of  the  parent 
who  is  a  seer,  the  mere  closing  of  the 
door  or  putting  away  of  the  toy  in  re- 
sponse to  a  request  is  not  the  thing  most 
desired,  for  that  is  external  and  true 
obedience  is  internal.  The  father,  pos- 
sessing insight,  wants  the  heart  as  well  as 
the  hand  of  the  boy  to  close  the  door  or 
put  away  the  toy.  Without  this,  no  vic- 
tory is  gained.  The  act  itself  is  the  least 
of  all.  ''Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  didst 
not  desire.  *  *  *  Then  said  I,  Lo,  I 
come.  *  *  *  I  delight  to  do  Thy  will, 
O  my  God;  yea,  Thy  law  is  within  my 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  49 

heart."  This  attitude  of  voluntary 
heart  acquiescence  to  the  will  of  another 
is  never  the  product  of  compelling  power, 
else  God  would  force  His  children  to 
obey,  since  obedience  is  the  thing  He 
most  desires.  Force  can  sway  the  hand 
but  not  the  heart.  Paul,  whose  tireless 
activity  spent  itself  out  under  the  direc- 
tion of  his  Master,  discloses  the  great 
secret  when  he  says,  ''The  love  of  Christ 
constraineth  us."  The  eternal  Father 
says  to  His  child,  "I  have  loved  thee  with 
an  everlasting  love;  therefore  with  loving 
kindness  have  I  drawn  thee." 

It  is  by  love,  by  words  of  approval,  by 
patient  encouragement  and  help,  and  also 
by  experiencing  the  consequences  of  each 
act,  whether  joyous  or  painful,  that  the 
child  is  led  to  follow  the  one  who  points 
out  the  path  for  his  activity.  Soon  he 
faces  the  words,  ''right,"  and  "wrong," 
and  though  knowing  only  at  first  that 
"right"  is  the  thing  permitted,  and 
"wrong,"  the  thing  denied,  he  feels  the 
difference  in  the  results  of  each.  Then  he 
learns  that  the  pathway  of  the  thing  called 
"right,"    is    not    an    arbitrary  one   laid 


50  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

down  by  mother  or  teacher,  but  the  path- 
way traced  by  God  Himself,  wherein  we 
all  must  walk,  parent  and  child,  teacher 
and  pupil  alike.  When  with  dimmest 
understanding  but  loving  heart,  he  first 
sets  faltering  foot  in  that  path,  because 
he  catches  glimpse  of  its  shining  light, 
that  ''shineth  more  and  more  unto  the 
perfect  day,"  the  one  who  has  nurtured 
him  will  hear  God's  voice  spea^king  to  his 
soul,  **Well  done,  good  and  faithful  ser- 
vant." 

HUNGRY  SENSES 

Hungry  senses,  directed  in  their  quest 
by  a  hungrier  mind,  mark  the  second 
great  characteristic  of  early  childhood. 
These  are  the  channels  through,  which  the 
world  around  comes  into  the  life  of  the 
child.  The  sights  and  sounds  of  the  phys- 
ical realm,  when  carried  beyond  the  por- 
tals of  the  senses,  under  the  marvelous 
transmutation  of  God's  touch,  become 
ideas.  The  process,  in  so  far  as  its  secret 
has  been  revealed,  will  not  be  discussed 
at  this  point,  but  rather  the  relation  of 
these  imoressions  to  character. 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  51 

In  early  years  the  senses  are  undis- 
criminating  as  far  as  the  real  worth  of  an 
impression  is  concerned.  The  vulgar 
picture  Vv^ill  be  admired  as  quickly  as  the 
beautiful  one,  if  its  colors  are  attractive. 
The  impure  word  is  caught  as  readily  as 
the  pure.  There  is  no  standard  of  values; 
even  taste  is  not  yet  formed,  and  eyes  and 
ears  hungrily  reach  out  for  anything  to 
satisfy  their  voracious  appetite.  Each 
sensation  which  is  reported  to  the  mind 
through  the  senses  and  intricate  nervous 
system,  supplies  an  idea,  embodying  it- 
self. It  is  with  these  that  all  the  think- 
ing of  the  child  is  done,  these  rouse  his 
feelings  and  prompt  his  actions  and, 
finally,  mean  character.  Manifestly, 
then,  his  life  can  be  no  better  than  the 
things  he  sees  and  hears,  handles  and 
tastes,  for  he  lives  in  a  world  of  sensations 
and  not  of  ideas.  This  was  the  thought 
of  the  mother  who  said,  *T  never  wash  my 
little  children's  faces  at  night,  and  put 
them  to  bed  all  sweet  and  clean  on  the 
outside,  that  I  don't  think  that  I  would 
give  all  the  world  if  I  could  somehow  get 
inside  and  wash  that  too . ' '     But  the  inner 


52  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

cleansing  from  the  influence  of  sight  and 
sound  no  hand  can  perform.  God  for- 
gives sin,  but  even  His  touch  does  not 
remove  the  impression  of  the  picture  or 
the  word  which  memory  has  put  away. 
The  only  hope  of  beautiful  character  lies 
in  bringing  to  the  unfolding  life  helpful 
influences  which  shall  be  stronger  in  their 
power  than  the  vitiating.  When  some 
definite  counteracting  impression  is  need- 
ed, it  is  in  the  sacred  confidences  of  the 
twilight  hour,  and  at  the  confessional  of 
a  mother's  knee,  that  it  can  be  most 
effectively  given. 

Aside  from  the  moral  import  of  the  im- 
pressions, there  is  a  vital  relationship  be- 
tween the  senses  and  the  quality  of  the  in- 
tellectual life.  Since  knowledge  can 
come  to  the  child  only  through  his  senses, 
the  amount  of  knowledge,  as  well  as  its 
sort,  depends  upon  the  story  the  senses 
tell.  If  they  be  dull,  the  knowledge  is 
meagre  and  life  has  little  with  which  to 
build.  If  they  be  defective,  the  im- 
pression is  either  falsely  reported  or  not 
at  all.  Tests  have  revealed  the  amazing 
fact  that  over  fifty  per  cent  of  children 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  53 

have  imperfect  sight  and  hearing.  This 
means  that  the  first  idea  given  through 
eye  or  ear  may  be  wrong;  consequently 
each  subsequent  idea  growing  out  of  it  is 
wrong,  at  least  in  part,  and  ultimately, 
false  conceptions  and  mistaken  courses  of 
action  appear,  all  traceable  directly  to 
the  ear  that  did  not  hear  accurately  and 
the  eye  that  told  a  false  tale. 

There  is  also  a  direct  connection  be- 
tween defective  senses  and  conduct.  Nat- 
urally, the  boy  who  can't  see  the  black- 
board, pays  no  attention  to  the  work 
placed  upon  it,  and  the  child  partially 
deaf,  disregards  the  words  of  the  teacher. 
The  overwhelming  number  of  personally 
observed  cases  of  difficult  discipline,  dis- 
closed the  unvarying  fact  of  defect,  either 
in  the  senses  or  the  body  itself.  There- 
fore a  teacher  or  parent  should  be  very 
sure  that  the  "bad  boy  problem"  is  not 
physical  rather  than  moral,  lest  cruel 
injustice  be  done. 

While  the  dull  senses  call  for  limitless 
patience,  that  life  be  not  pitifully  narrow, 
and  the  defective  senses  call  for  wise  and 
remedial    attention,   the  normal,    keen, 


54  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

wide-awake  senses  exact  the  most  from 
the  conscientious  parent  or  teacher.  Eter- 
nal vigilance  is  the  price  of  beautiful 
building  material  for  the  character  in 
such  an  unfolding  life.  Each  day  adds 
to  the  store  put  away  in  the  brain,  to  re- 
appear later.  *'We  must  soon  be  care- 
ful what  we  do  before  the  baby,"  says  the 
mother  who  half  grasps  the  connection 
between  impressions  and  character  build- 
ing, not  realizing  that  the  work  is  already 
far  under  way,  that  foundations  are  in. 
Nurture  of  the  senses  must  begin  with  the 
first  dim  reaching  out  for  impressions, 
that  only  the  best  may  enter,  that  right 
tastes  may  be  formed,  and  self  control  in 
this  fiercest  battle-field  of  life  be  learned. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  PERIOD   OF   EARLY  CHILDHOOD--- 
Continued. 

As  WE  come  to  consider  the  soul  of  the 
child,  using  this  term  not  in  its  religious 
sense,  but  to  include  all  of  life  but  the 
physical,  we  understand  that  in  reality 
it  is  indivisible.  There  are  no  separate 
parts  or  faculties  possessing  unique  pow- 
ers such  as  reasoning,  remembering,  feel- 
ing or  willing.  The  whole  soul  remem- 
bers, feels  and  wills.  However,  for  the 
sake  of  clearness  and  convenience,  when 
it  is  reasoning,  we  are  accustomed  to 
speak  of  soul  power  in  that  direction  as 
reason,  or  imagining  as  imagination  or 
willing  as  will. 

We  must  understand,  also,  that  the 
soul  of  the  child  is  as  Complete  in  its  possi- 
bilities as  the  soul  of  the  adult,  only  they 
are  undeveloped.  As  life  and  environ- 
ment grow  more  complex,  new  needs 
arise  and  these  new  needs  awaken  soul 

55 


56  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

power  in  a  new  direction .  The  expression 
"I  didn't  know  he  had  it  in  him,"  is  fre- 
quently heard,  as  some  one  has  shown 
unexpected  ability  under  sudden  pres- 
sure of  circumstances.  Every  brain  has 
millions  of  undeveloped  cells,  scientists 
affirm,  signifying  that  every  life  is  in- 
finitely poorer  than  it  might  be.  The 
need  is  something  to  arouse  its  latent 
power. 

CURIOSITY 

The  little  child  is  at  first  in  a  world  of 
total  mystery.  Sights,  sounds,  sensations 
from  contact  come  to  him  and  all  are  un- 
intelligible. As  they  are  carried  to  his 
brain,  somewhere,  somehow,  they  awaken 
a  desire  to  know  their  meaning,  and  as  the 
tiny  fingers  are  extended  toward  objects 
the  soul  is  reaching  also.  This  soul  reach- 
ing is  curiosity,  one  of  God's  most  gracious 
and  wonderful  provisions  for  the  life,  but 
so  often  its  significance  is  misunderstood. 
If  there  were  no  curiosity,  there  would 
never  be  any  eager  attempt  to  explore 
the  field  of  knowledge.  The  disciplined 
spirit    of    inquiry    that    makes    for    the 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  57 

world's  progress,  is  only  a  fuller  develop- 
ment of  the  untutored  and  disastrous 
effort  of  the  child  to  find  out  about  things. 
We  forget  that  before  there  can  be  a 
flower  there  must  be  a  bud.  Before  there 
can  be  a  scientist  who  shall  pick  the  rock 
to  pieces  to  learn  its  secret,  there  must  be 
a  child  who  picks  a  doll  to  pieces  to  see 
what  is  inside.  The  pathos  of  childhood 
is  its  bowed  head  and  mute  lips  under  the 
blow  and  the  stinging  word,  because  judg- 
ment is  passed,  not  on  motives,  as  the 
parent  demands  for  himself,  but  on  the 
external  appearance  of  the  act.  We 
look  into  our  Heavenly  Father's  face,  out 
of  the  wreckage  and  mistakes  of  a  day, 
and  say,  **I  meant  to  do  it  aright,  but  I  am 
so  ignorant,"  and  we  are  comforted  that 
He  looks  at  the  heart  and  understands. 
Can  we  be  less  pitifully  tender  toward  His 
little  ones? 

There  are  three  marked  manifestations 
of  curiosity  during  this  period  of  child- 
hood. 

(1)     Questions. 

In  the  wordless  years  of  earliest  life, 
mysteries  around  the  child  can  receive 


58  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

only  partial  solution.  But  the  day  comes 
when  language  gives  him  a  key  whereby 
to  unlock  the  doors,  and  he  begins  to  ask, 
"What  is  it,"  then  "Why,"  and  "Where," 
and  "How."  This  questioning  period 
commences  about  the  age  of  three,  and 
is  in  strong  evidence  for  some  time. 
The  answers  involve  for  the  most  part 
nouns  and  verbs,  not  adjectives  nor  ad- 
verbs, signifying  that  the  child  is  not  yet 
ready  for  abstract  qualities  and  char- 
acteristics. Simple  facts  only  are  sought 
at  first.  Questioris  concern  the  names  of 
things,  activities  connected  with  them, 
causes  and  ends  and  the  age-long  mystery 
of  origins. 

Passing  by  reluctantly  any  further  dis- 
cussion of  this  most  fascinating  subject 
of  children's  questions,  four  great  facts 
bearing  upon  nurture  must  be  noted. 

1.  Repression  of  the  sincere  question- 
ing of  a  child  tends  to  weaken  his  effort 
to  acquire  knowledge. 

2.  Questions  reveal  a  need  felt  by  the 
child,  and  are  a  guide  to  the  kind  of  in- 
struction he  is  ready  to  receive. 

3.  A  question  not  only  reveals  a  need, 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  59 

but  is  also  an  assurance  that  the  instruc- 
tion given  will  be  received,  for  what  the 
mind  wants  to  learn,  it  will  learn. 

4.  A  sincere  question  demands  a  sin- 
cere answer. 

This  statement  would  seem  superfluous, 
if  its  need  were  not  apparent  in  questions 
dealing  with  the  origin  of  life.  God  gives 
to  the  mother,  first,  the  sacred  privilege  of 
investing  these  most  holy  mysteries  with 
purity  and  sanctity,  and  through  this  con- 
fidence drawing  the  life  of  the  child  into 
closer  fellowship  with  her  own.  If  the 
opportunity  be  cast  away  through  the 
evasive  or  untruthful  answer,  the  facts 
may  come  with  a  taint  upon  them  which 
can  never  be  wholly  removed. 

(2)  Mischief. 

(3)  Destructiveness. 

A  VN^ord  must  suffice  upon  these  other 
manifestations  of  curiosity.  When  truly 
understood,  they  reveal  only  an  eager 
mind  trying  to  obtain  new  experiences  to 
add  to  knowledge.  It  is  not  total  deprav- 
ity that  leads  a  child  to  pull  the  articles 
from  the  workbasket,  or  tear  the  book,  or 
demolish  the  toy.     He  merely  wants  to 


60  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

see  the  object  under  as  great  a  variety  of 
conditions  as  possible,  to  find  out  all  he 
can  about  it.  It  is  identical  with  the 
spirit  of  the  scientist  who  essays  new  com- 
binations to  see  what  the  results  may  be, 
only  in  its  inception  it  is  crude  and  un- 
skilled. 

Assuredly,  instead  of  dealing  harshly 
with  an  instinct  which  in  later  years  may 
make  the  whole  world  richer,  it  would  be 
wiser  to  give  it  legitimate  outlet.  Toys 
and  blocks  which  admit  of  being  taken 
apart  and  readjusted  may  begin  the  train- 
ing of  an  Edison  or  a  Stephenson. 

INTERESTS 

Just  as  in  the  realm  of  the  physical, 
appetite  for  one  sort  of  food  may  be  great- 
er than  for  another,  even  in  hunger,  so  a 
varying  appetite  appears  in  connection 
with  the  soul  hunger  of  curiosity.  It  is 
strongest  in  the  direction  of  that  in  which 
the  life  is  naturally  interested  at  any  given 
time. 

The  interests  of  early  childhood  are 
primarily  in  things  which  exhibit  or  sug- 
gest activity  and  in  simplest  relationships, 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  61 

found  in  the  little  world  bounded  by 
home,  neighborhood,  Kindergarten  and 
Sunday  School.  Nature  makes  strong 
appeal,  not  on  the  aesthetic  side  of  tint 
and  shadow,  but  through  the  charm  of  her 
multiform  movements  and  family  life 
akin  to  the  child's.  The  bird's  nest 
fascinates  because  there  is  connected 
with  it  the  story  of  the  building  and  the 
hungry  little  brood  it  sheltered.  Tales  of 
animals,  fairies  and  real  folk,  busy  in 
simple  and  familiar  occupations  hold  him 
entranced,  and  he  will  watch  with  rapt 
attention  the  performance  of  most  com- 
mon tasks.  It  is  noteworthy  that  his 
interest  in  all  this  is  not  so  much  in  the 
end  to  be  accomplished,  as  in  the  activity 
itself.  Even  in  his  play,  the  preparations 
are  often  more  delightful  and  satisfying 
than  the  game  which  follows. 

All  this  has  a  deep  meaning  for  one  who 
is  trying  to  help  the  little  life  in  its  unfold- 
ing. 

1.  **Wise  education  takes  the  tide  at 
the  flood,"  says  James.  These  interests 
reveal  the  fact  that  in  this  period,  in- 
struction should  deal  with  things,   not 


62  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

with  statements  of  ideas,  apart  from 
things,  or,  in  other  words,  with  the  con- 
crete, not  the  abstract. 

2.  The  greater  the  knowledge  of  things 
gained  while  interest  attaches  to  them, 
the  greater  the  resources  for  clear,  broad 
thinking  as  life  matures. 

3.  When  instruction  is  in  line  with 
interests,  attention  and  consequent  learn- 
ing are  assured. 

4.  The  child's  religious  interests  will 
be  identical  in  character  with  the  other 
interests  of  this  period.  He  will  not  be 
interested  in  the  Being  or  attributes  of 
God,  but  God  in  His  great  activities  as 
Creator  and  Wonder- Worker,  and  in  His 
relation  as  Father.  Jesus  will  make 
appeal,  not  in  His  discourses,  but  in  His 
acts  of  helpfulness  and  power,  and  His 
love. 

The  great  law  of  teaching  is  here  in- 
volved, that  interest  in  and  knowledge  of 
the  unknown  can  come  only  through  in- 
terest in  and  knowledge  of  something 
which  is  like  it.  Paul  says  in  Romans, 
'Tor  the  invisible  things  of  Him  since  the 
world  began  are  clearly  seen,  being  per- 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  63 

ceived  through  the  things  that  are  made, 
even  His  everlasting  power  and  divinity.'* 
Therefore  the  first  definite  rehgious 
instruction  which  the  child  receives,  must 
be  upon  spiritual  truths  illustrated  in  his 
own  known  world  of  interests. 

IMITATION 

The  result  of  the  efforts  of  curiosity, 
senses  and  activity  is  a  constantly  increas- 
ing store  of  ideas  in  the  child's  mind,  re- 
lating to  these  things  in  which  he  is  in- 
terested. As  these  ideas  enter  his  mind, 
applying  this  term  to  the  **  intellectual 
function  of  the  soul,"  he  immediately 
wants  to  act  upon  them,  according  to  a 
law  inborn  that  an  idea  always  tends  to 
go  out  into  action,  unless  it  is  held  back. 
Adults  have  fixed  habits  of  expressing 
ideas  that  come  to  them,  but  not  so  the 
child.  An  interesting  activity  is  always 
a  suggestion  to  him  to  reproduce  it  exactly, 
if  possible.  This  difference  between  habit 
and  suggestion  in  action  is  illustrated  in 
the  case  of  a  long-suffering  kitten  in  the 
hands  of  a  resourceful  child.  The  sight 
will  arouse  in  another  child  an  irresistible 


64  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

impulse  to  try  the  same  experiment,  while 
it  always  leads  his  mother  to  attempt  a 
rescue. 

This  tendency  to  exact  reproduction  of 
activity  is  the  instinct  of  imitation,  and 
is  a  marked  characteristic  of  childhood. 
As  these  words  are  written,  a  glance 
through  the  window  discloses  surveyors 
at  work  with  tape  and  red  chalk.  Follow- 
ing in  their  wake  is  a  five  year  old  with 
diminutive  string  and  piece  of  red  crayon, 
laying  out  distances  and  taking  measure- 
ments, in  exact  copy  of  his  predecessors, 
a  genuine  "pocket  edition"  of  the  orig- 
inal. 

While  such  elaborate  exactness  char- 
acterizes imitation  in  this  period  of  child- 
hood alone,  the  impulse  to  conform  is 
never  entirely  lost.  The  desire  grows 
more  complex  and  general  as  the  years 
go  on,  and  from  reproduction  of  definite 
acts,  the  life  tries  to  emulate  the  spirit 
and  achievements  of  its  hero,  and  later  to 
be  in  some  harmony,  at  least,  with  public 
opinion.  Brave,  indeed,  is  the  soul  that 
dares  to  be  a  nonconformist  in  regard  to 
the  standards  "they"  have  established. 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  65 

The  results  of  imitation  are  profoundly 
important  in  character  building. 

1.  When  a  child  re-enacts  what  he 
sees,  he  comes  to  a  better  understanding 
of  its  meaning.  This  is  one  purpose  of 
the  imitation  of  common  activities  in 
Kindergarten  games. 

2.  The  idea  which  is  acted  upon  be- 
comes an  inseparable  part  of  the  life. 

3.  Habit  is  the  outcome  of  repeated 
imitation. 

4.  Life  grows  like  what  it  imitates. 

With  these  facts  in  view,  the  applica- 
tion to  the  work  of  nurture  is  too  obvious 
for  discussion. 

IMAGINATION 

The  child  is  not  content  alone  to  imitate 
activities.  He  likes  to  transform  objects 
and  make  over  familiar  situations.  This 
he  does  through  that  power  of  his  soul 
called  imagination. 

The  imagination  of  this  period  is  *  'fancy- 
full,"  crude,  and  unbridled  by  reason  or 
will.  The  child  lives  in  a  world  of  make 
believe.  He  sees  whole  menageries  in 
the   back   yard,    and   performs   exploits 


66  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

worthy  of  a  David  or  Samson.  He  gives 
soul  to  inanimate  objects,  and  endows 
them  with  feelings  like  his  own.  He 
plays  with  companions  of  his  own  crea- 
tion, and  peoples  the  dark  with  weird 
forms.  Things  are  changed  at  will  to 
suit  his  whims,  the  stick  becoming  the 
untamed  steed  and  the  rocking  chair  the 
storm-tossed  boat.  The  magic  of  his 
alchemy  may  extend  to  himself,  and  make 
him  for  days  another  person,  or  even  an 
animal. 

This  world  of  make  believe  is  as  real  to 
him  as  the  world  which  is  seen  through 
his  eyes,  and  often  he  can  not  distinguish 
between  the  two.  Many  a  little  heart  has 
quivered  over  the  punishment  inflicted 
for  "lying",  when  willful  misrepresen- 
tation was  not  in  his  thoughts.  However, 
harsh  treatment  of  a  vivid  imagination 
may  result  in  real  deception  later  on,  for 
the  child  can  not  help  "seeing  things," 
too  wonderful  to  be  enjoyed  alone,  and 
then,  perforce,  there  must  be  deliberate 
planning  to  escape  the  punishment. 

This  harshness  also  begins  to  raise  an 
invisible  barrier  between  the  child  and 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  67 

parent.  It  was  felt  by  a  little  maiden  of 
rare  fancy,  who  said  in  a  whisper  at  the 
conclusion  of  one  of  these  marvellous 
tales,  ''But  don't  tell  Mamma."  The 
impassable  wall  between  many  a  mother 
and  daughter  in  later  years,  once  consisted 
of  but  a  scattered  stone  here  and  there. 

Passing  by  the  play  life  of  the  child 
where  the  imagination  has  fullest  scope, 
the  question  arises  as  to  the  meaning  of 
this  power  in  character  building.  One 
purpose  stands  paramount  over  every 
other.  It  is  the  **  ideal  making  factory" 
of  the  life.  From  transforming  sticks 
and  chairs,  the  soul  will  one  day  pass  to 
transforming  memories  and  thoughts, 
putting  away  the  unattractive  features 
and  investing  the  attractive  with  even 
more  charm,  through  dreams  of  what 
might  be.  From  constructing  houses  out 
of  blocks,  the  soul  will  begin  to  construct 
ideals  out  of  its  experiences  and  visions, 
according  to  a  pattern  shown  on  some 
mount. 

As  childhood  recedes  and  manhood 
beckons,  the  soul  unveils  this  ideal,  fash- 
ioned in  its  secret  workshop  out  of  all 


68  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

that  appeared  most  desirable,  and  with 
strange,  magnetic  power,  it  begins  to 
draw  the  Hfe  after  it.  Worthy  or  un- 
worthy, the  years  to  come  will  see  some 
part,  at  least,  of  the  ideal,  a  reality.  The 
character  of  the  imagination,  therefore, 
becomes  a  matter  of  supreme  concern  to 
nurture.  It  will  be  healthy  or  diseased 
morally,  according  to  the  quality  of  the 
material  supplied  for  its  use.  The  two 
great  sources  of  this  material  are  every 
day  experiences  and  the  story.  The 
meaning  of  these  experiences  to  the  child's 
life  has  already  been  emphasized  in  various 
connections,  and  repetition  is  unnecessary, 
but  the  story  holds  a  unique  place  in 
point  of  influence.  Since  it  comes  with 
deepest  significance  to  the  child  in  the 
next  period  of  development,  when  im- 
agination is  less  mixed  with  fancy,  its 
discussion  will  be  reserved  for  that  time. 

MEMORY 

The  child  has  an  unfortunate  experience 
with  a  hot  stove  and  tender  fingers  bear 
the  cruel  scar.  Must  some  one  always 
watch  him,  year  after  year,  to  save  him 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  69 

trom  a  succession  of  bums  ?  He  is  taken 
to  school  b}^  his  mother;  must  she  forever 
accompany  him  to  insure  his  safe  arrival  ? 
Is  there  no  way  of  understanding  a  pres- 
ent experience  except  by  passing  through 
it  ?  Life  would  be  an  unsatisfactory  thing 
indeed,  if  this  were  true,  but  the  soul  has 
the  power  of  retaining  past  experiences  in 
order  that  they  may  throw  light  upon  the 
present.  The  business  man  does  not  de- 
liberately do  again  that  which  was  dis- 
astrous before,  for  he  remembers  the  past 
misfortune.  The  child  will  not  tomorrow 
press  his  little  burned  hand  against  the 
heated  iron,  for  he  recalls  the  pain  of  yes- 
terday. This  gracious  gift  of  God  to  life, 
we  call  memory.  Without  it,  there  could 
be  no  understanding,  no  reasoning,  no 
imagination,  no  knowledge,  no  growth. 
The  physical  side  of  memory  is  most 
interesting .  On  the  covering  of  the  brain, 
each  in  its  own  place,  the  images  or  im- 
pression brought  in  by  the  senses  and  the 
activity  are  registered.  So  sensitive  and 
susceptible  are  the  brain  cells  during 
childhood,  that  these  impressions  are 
received  as  clay  receives  the  touch  of  the 


70  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

sculptor^s  finger,  and  under  right  condi- 
tions, they  are  ineffaceable.  When  the 
soul  acts  upon  these  images,  they  live 
again,  and  we  say,  **We  remember." 

Two  important  questions  are  suggested 
by  these  facts.  First,  what  kind  of  im- 
pressions should  we  attempt  to  store  in 
the  memory  during  childhood?  Second, 
how  may  these  impressions  be  made  per- 
manent ? 

To  the  first  question,  the  child  him- 
self makes  answer  through  what  he  most 
easily  retains  and  through  his  needs. 

Since  he  is  interested  and  curious  in 
regard  to  things,  since  he  spends  all  his 
physical  activity  upon  them,  since  he 
desires  them  and  thinks  about  them,  we 
would  expect  that  things,  together  with 
experiences  and  ideas  associated  with 
them,  would  naturally  fill  his  memory. 
Any  observer  of  childhood  knows  that 
this  is  true.  The  memory  of  a  little  child 
is  overwhelmingly  for  the  concrete,  the 
impressions  through  the  senses  and  from 
what  he  does  being  far  more  easily  re- 
tained than  ideas  alone.  A  child  will 
recall  the  story  of  the  Good  Samaritan 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  71 

more  readily  than  the  isolated  verse, 
"Thoushalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself." 
The  reward  or  punishment  of  an  act 
makes  a  more  lasting  impression  than  the 
dissertation  upon  it.  Since  the  concrete 
must  be  the  starting  point  of  thinking, 
it  must  come  to  his  soul  at  some  time, 
and,  judged  by  every  condition,  this  is 
God's  time  for  it. 

The  child's  needs  are  also  a  guide  in 
this  matter.  The  soul  is  growing  in  every 
direction,  intellectually,  emotionally,  and 
spiritually  if  properly  nurtured,  and  mem- 
ory holds  the  constantly  increasing  food 
for  its  growth.  Is  it  to  be  treated  as  a 
stockroom,  where  packages  unavailable 
for  the  present  are  to  be  laid  away  until 
needed,  or  as  a  store-house  supplied  with 
nourishing  food  for  the  present?  If 
memory  is  a  stockroom,  then  it  should 
be  filled  with  definitions,  statements, 
terms,  facts,  anything  which  may  be 
needed  sometime.  This  can  be  done,  for 
the  brain  will  retain  the  sound  of  the 
words,  but  meantime,  what  shall  the 
child  feed  on?  What  shall  he  use? 
The  soul  can  feed  on  or  make  use  of  only 


72  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

that  which  is  at  least  partially  under- 
stood. This  means  largely  the  concrete, 
for  abstract  statements  can  be  understood 
only  through  the  experience  or  reason, 
and  the  child  has  meagre  resources  in 
either  direction.  Only  when  a  thought 
embodies  what  he  has  experienced,  can 
he  grasp  and  use  it. 

Is  it  not  the  work  of  nurture  to  see  that 
memory  is  provided  with  that  out  of  which 
it  can  supply  every  need  of  the  develop- 
ing life  today?  That,  "Faith  is  the  as- 
surance of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence 
of  things  not  seen,"  may  mean  much  to 
his  mature  heart,  but  what  if  the  child 
should  be  frightened  tomorrow  and  need 
to  have  his  budding  faith  strengthened 
from  memory?  Would  not  the  story  of 
God's  care  over  the  baby  Moses,  Jesus' 
care  for  the  disciples  in  the  blackness  of 
the  storm,  with  the  words,  "He  careth 
for  you,"  if  these  were  stored  in  memory, 
quiet  more  quickly  the  beating  heart,  and 
more  surely  increase  his  faith?  True 
nurture  will  not  starve  life  in  the  present 
to  hoard  for  the  future.  Memory  now 
requires  all  its  store  for  immediate  use. 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  73 

Later,  after  growth  is  well  under  way 
in  every  direction,  memory  not  only  can 
supply  present  needs,  but  it  will  also 
demand  a  surplus  for  future  use. 

The  second  question,  relating  to  the  per- 
manency of  these  impressions,  is  answered 
in  meeting  the  following  conditions: 

1.  A  healthy,  non-fatigued  brain 
when  the  impression  is  made. 

2.  Close  attention. 

3 .  A  clear,  easily  understood  and  force- 
ful presentation  of  the  thing  to  be  re- 
membered. 

4.  The  use  of  as  many  senses  as  pos- 
sible. When  an  impression  has  been 
given  through  eye  and  ear  and  touch,  for 
example,  it  is  more  definite  in  the  mind 
than  when  it  has  come  only  through  the 
sense  of  hearing. 

5.  A  natural  association  of  the  new 
impression  with  others  well  known  and 
interesting  to  the  child. 

6.  In^mediate  and  frequent  recall. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE   PERIOD   OF  EARLY  CHILDHOOD— 
Concluded 

THE  FEELINGS 

A  CHILD  receives  a  coveted  toy  and 
his  face  is  aglow  with  delight.  He  is 
sharply  reproved  and  anger  or  grief  ap- 
pears. Another  child  comes  to  play  with 
him,  and  he  may  assert  that  all  his  guest 
desires  *'is  mine,"  and  tears,  and  even 
blows  ensue  before  amicable  adjustment 
can  be  made.  And  so  through  the  hours 
of  a  kaleidoscopic  day,  the  emotional 
pendulum  keeps  swinging  from  love  to 
anger,  from  pride  to  humility,  from 
selfishness  to  sporadic  and  angelic  bits 
of  generosity.  What  is  the  significance 
of  it  all  in  the  life  of  the  child? 

Before  considering  this  vital  question, 
shall  we  note  some  characteristics  of  the 
feelings  in  Early  Childhood? 

They  center  about  self,  and  instinctive 
feelings,  such  as  hunger  and  thirst,  pain 
and  pleasure,  fear,  pride  and  anger,  are 

75 


76  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

Strongest.  Love  is  present  in  its  first 
stages,  not  the  self  sacrificing  sort,  but 
love  given  in  response  to  love  and  atten- 
tion. The  child's  feelings  are  easily 
aroused,  fleeting,  and  usually  more  or  less 
superficial.  Abstractions,  such  as  beauty, 
duty,  responsibility,  and  relationships  in 
general  have  but  slight  effect  upon  his 
soul,  and  the  lack  of  feeling  in  these  di- 
rections is  commonly  expressed  by  say- 
ing that  the  higher  feelings  are  not  yet 
developed. 

The  child's  feelings  in  response  to  re- 
ligious truth  can  not,  therefore,  be  those 
of  the  adult.  He  will  feel  love  for  God  as 
he  feels  it  for  his  mother,  because  of  His 
love,  provision  and  care  for  him.  God's 
power  and  the  mystery  that  envelops 
Him  will  awaken  a  response  of  awe  and 
wonder  in  his  soul,  and  absolute  confidence 
that  He  can  do  anything.  But  this  same 
power  and  majesty,  carelessly  presented, 
may  call  out  fear,  not  the  godly  sort  that 
is  afraid  of  grieving  Him  by  sin,  but  the 
physical  fear  that  casts  out  love.  He 
does  not  have  the  sense  of  moral  obliga- 
tion to  God,  for  that  again  goes  into 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  77 

the  abstraction  of  thought.  His  religious 
life  begins  in  feeling,  pure  and  simple,  and 
his  creed  is  in  I  John,  "We  love  Him  be- 
cause He  first  loved  us." 

Most  interesting  lines  of  discussion  open 
out  from  the  subject,  but  they  are  not 
pertinent  to  the  chosen  theme  of  this 
book.  The  only  legitimate  question  is, 
**What  is  the  work  of  nurture  in  connec- 
tion with  the  feelings?" 

Before  this  can  be  answered,  the  pur- 
pose of  the  feelings  in  character  building 
must  be  clear.  Then  we  shall  know 
what  nurture  must  do. 

No  feeling  has  a  right  to  exist  for  it- 
self. There  is  a  task  for  it  to  perform, 
namely,  to  lead  the  soul  to  action.  If 
unhindered  it  will  always  do  this.  The 
careful  analysis  of  any  action  will  reveal 
a  motive  power  in  some  feeling,  ranging 
from  the  lowest  desires  for  self  gratifica- 
tion to  the  sublime  heights  of  love  that 
denies  self  for  the  Master's  sake.  Knowl- 
edge alone  does  not  suffice  for  action.  A 
man  may  be  familiar  with  the  claims  of 
Jesus  and  even  acknowledge  them,  but 
until  he  feels  a  great  need  of  Him,  he  will 


78  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

not  become  a  Christian.  The  sermon 
may  compel  the  admiration  of  the  mind, 
but  unless  it  move  the  heart  no  man  will 
practice  it.  Jesus  summed  up  his  com- 
mands in  ''Love,"  not  ''Know,"  for  He 
knew  that  loving  meant  God-like  living. 
It  is  significant  that  the  fruitage  of  the 
Spirit  appears  in  the  feelings  of  "love, 
joy,  peace,"  before  it  can  be  manifest  in 
the  acts  of  "long-suffering,  kindness,  good- 
ness, faithfulness,  meekness,  self  control." 

This  indissoluble  relation  between  feel- 
ing and  action  gives  deep  meaning  to  the 
words  of  Dr.  W.  H.  Payne,  "At  least  the 
half,  and  perhaps  the  better  half  of  educa- 
tion consists  in  the  formation  of  right 
feelings." 

The  work  of  nurture  in  connection  with 
the  feelings  is  now  apparent.  It  must 
endeavor  to  develop  right  feelings  in  order 
to  secure  right  actions  and  consequent 
strong  character.  This  development  is 
secured  through  repeatedly  arousing  the 
feelings,  and  giving  them  expression  in 
action  until  they  are  habitual. 

1 .     How  may  the  Feelings  be  Aroused  ? 

Passing  by  all  the  physiological  and  psy- 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  79 

chological  processes  involved,  and  using 
the  term,  feeling,  as  it  is  popularly  under- 
stood, the  law  that  governs  its  appear- 
ance may  be  stated  thus:  "A  feeling  is 
occasioned  by  the  touch  of  an  impression 
upon  the  soul."  With  older  people,  these 
impressions  may  come  from  without  or 
from  a  thought  within,  but  with  little 
children  they  come  almost  entirely  from 
v^^ithout.  The  sort  of  feeling  aroused 
will  evidently  depend  upon  the  sort  of 
impression  that  comes,  as  well  as  the  con- 
dition of  the  soul  that  receives  it.  This 
difference  in  conditions,  or  difference  in 
lives  as  we  ordinarily  say,  explains  why 
the  Sunday  School  lesson  has  such  varied 
effects  in  the  same  class,  or  even  upon  the 
same  child  at  different  times. 

Keeping  in  mind  the  law  that  some  im- 
pression must  precede  a  feeling,  true  nur- 
ture asks,  ''In  what  way  can  these  im- 
pressions best  be  given,  that  desired  feel- 
ings may  be  aroused?" 

1.  They  are  not  given  through  com- 
mand. 

Common  sense  would  recognize  the 
absurdity    of     attempting     to     awaken 


80  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

anger  by  saying  to  a  group  of  happy  chil- 
dren, "Be  angry."  But  why  is  the  ab- 
surdity not  equally  apparent  in  saying, 
"Be  loving,"  "Be  sorry,"  "Be  reverent?" 
Yet  this  is  a  method  on  which  countless 
teachers  and  parents  place  their  depend- 
ence. Suppose,  for  instance,  reverence 
be  the  feeling  desired;  a  thought  of  God's 
greatness  and  power  and  holiness  must  be 
given.  If,  to  the  sensitive  soul  of  the 
child,  the  teacher  bring  the  story  of  Sinai, 
or  the  story  of  Majestic  Power  as  it  is  set 
forth  in  the  104th  Psalm,  or  the  glory  of 
the  Heavenly  throne  with  the  adoring 
multitudes,  following  with  the  words, 
softly  sung, 

••Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God  of  Hosts, 
Heaven  and  earth  are  full  of  Thee, 
Heaven  and  earth  are  praising  Thee, 
Oh  Lord,  most  high." 

the  result  will  be  true  reverence. 

2.  Suggestion  is  a  most  effective  way 
of  conveying  these  impressions. 

Instead  of  saying  to  the  child,  "This  is 
the  thought  you  should  have,  and  this  is 
what  you  should  feel,  and  this  is  what  you 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  81 

ought  to  do,"  he  is  allowed  to  draw  mean- 
ings and  have  feelings  of  his  own,  for  then 
they  are  genuinely  a  part  of  his  soul,  not 
something  foisted  upon  him. 

But  even  though  the  application  is  not 
made,  nurture  will  consciously  present  im- 
pressions intended  to  suggest  certain  feel- 
ings. The  Sunday  School  lesson,  the 
missionary  story,  the  visit  to  the  poor 
family,  the  song  carefully  selected,  all 
fall  in  this  class.  Special  mention  should 
be  made  of  the  great  effect  upon  the  child 
in  making  attractive  in  another,  the  feel- 
ing desired  for  him.  A  single  incident 
will  illustrate  this:  A  frightened  little 
candidate  for  the  Beginners'  Class  and  his 
stem  mother  stood  one  Sunday  morning 
before  the  Primary  superintendent.  "He's 
got  to  stay  in  here  by  himself  today,"  she 
said;  "I  won't  have  such  nonsense.  Look 
at  him,  with  his  first  trousers  on!  I'm 
ashamed  of  him ! ' '  The  superintendent  did 
look  and  saw  the  new  trousers,  and  in 
them  the  trembling  little  body,  and  a  soul 
speechless  with  terror  at  facing  for  the 
first  time,  alone,  the  unknown  experience 
of  a  great  world,  even  though  it  was  en- 


82  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

closed  in  four  walls.  There  was  no  trace 
of  relenting  in  the  mother's  face,  and  any 
plea  for  pity  was  useless.  But  the  new 
trousers  gave  a  possible  key  to  the  situa- 
tion. ''Why,  so  he  has  new  trousers  on!" 
the  superintendent  said.  ''I  want  to  see 
them,"  and  very  thoroughly  and  enthu- 
siastically they  were  inspected.  *  *  I  didn't 
know  that  he  was  so  nearly  a  man  that 
he  could  wear  trousers  instead  of  dresses. 
I  am  sure  he  will  stay  alone  today  because 
men  do  and  are  not  at  all  afraid."  She 
waited.  Gradually  the  little  head  lifted 
as  the  thought  of  bravery  began  to  make 
its  appeal.  He  put  his  hand  into  the 
hand  of  the  superintendent,  and  without 
hesitation  started  on  the  perilous  journey 
across  the  room  to  the  Beginners'  section, 
where  no  punishment  could  have  driven 
him  a  few  moments  earlier,  and  proud  and 
heroic  sat  by  himself  through  the  hour. 
Such  is  the  power  of  suggestion. 

Two  points,  however,  must  be  carefully 
guarded  in  deliberate  effort  to  arouse  a 
feeling. 

1 .  Care  must  be  exercised  not  to  over 
stimulate  feeling,   as  an  excess  beyond 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  83 

that  which  can  be  expended  in  action  has 
an  after  weakening  and  reactionary  effect. 
This  has  its  illustration  in  certain  methods 
of  evangelistic  work  with  children,  where 
results  are  measured  by  their  hysterical 
condition  when  the  meeting  concludes. 
Contrast  with  this  the  gentleness  which 
breathes  through  the  story  of  the  Master's 
touch,  as  He  took  them  in  His  arms  and 
blessed  them,  laying  His  hands  upon  them, 
when  He  had  said,  ''Suffer  the  little  chil- 
dren to  come  unto  Me." 

2.  It  is  as  injurious  to  a  child  to  at- 
tempt to  force  a  feeling  before  its  normal 
time,  as  to  a  bud,  to  pry  open  its  petals  to 
hasten  God's  processes.  Even  the  Di- 
vine Child  ''grew."  "That  is  not  first 
which  is  spiritual,  but  that  which  is  natu- 
ral, then  that  which  is  spiritual,"  is  God's 
law  of  unfolding  life. 

But  these  consciously  presented  impres- 
sions form  only  a  small  part  of  the  sources 
of  suggestion  to  the  child.  The  count- 
less sights  and  circumstances  of  his  every- 
day life  all  have  a  voice  for  him,  and  a 
feeling  follows  their  message. 

Every  mother  who  has  suffered  morti- 


84  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

fication  over  the  unaccountable  behavior 
of  her  child  toward  a  guest,  knows  the 
sometimes  untoward  as  well  as  helpful 
working  of  suggestion  from  personality. 
Atmosphere  has  the  same  power.  '*I 
don't  know  what  there  is  in  your  home,*' 
said  a  visitor  to  her  hostess;  ''I  can't  de- 
fine it,  but  it  makes  me  want  to  be  good.'* 
Music  may  be  suggestive,  aside  from  what 
it  actually  says.  It  would  seem  as  if  no 
sane  superintendent  would  prepare  for 
prayer  by  a  two  step  song,  or  follow  the 
lesson  on,  *'The  Washing  of  the  Disciples* 
Feet",  by,  "Columbia,  the  Gem  of  the 
Ocean,"  but  it  was  done.  It  would  seem 
as  though  no  primary  teacher  could  be  so 
insensible  to  suggestion  from  objects,  as 
to  try  to  teach  worship  in  giving  by  taking 
the  offering  through  a  hole  in  the  tail  of  a 
jointed  tin  rooster,  but  that  self-same 
rooster  is  no  myth. 

The  subject  expands  into  endless  rami- 
fications. True  nurture  essays  the  dif- 
ficult task  of  analyzing  the  impressions 
that  come  from  suggestion — guarding 
against  the  harmful,  and  multiplying  the 
helpful. 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  85 

3.  Impressions  may  be  given  and  feel- 
ings aroused  through  doing  the  act  which 
would  naturally  result  from  the  feeling. 

This  is  the  reason  why  a  reverential  at- 
titude helps  to  arouse  real  reverence,  and 
a  smiling  face  and  cheery  tone  actually 
bring  cheerfulness  in  a  case  of  the  blues. 
Little  children  are  so  imitative  that  they 
quickly  copy  the  outward  manifestations 
of  a  feeling,  and  the  inner  state  tends  to 
follo\v  This  is  further  a  reason  for  lead- 
ing them  into  acts  of  loving  service,  that 
love  and  kindred  gracious  feelings  may 
gain  strength  through  the  reflex  influence 
of  the  action  upon  the  soul. 

One  word  should  be  spoken  on  the  neg- 
ative side.  Since  each  recurrence  of  a 
feeling  strengthens  its  power,  nurture 
will  seek  to  avoid  the  conditions  which 
would  arouse  wrong  feelings.  "But 
should  not  the  child  control  himself?" 
some  one  asks.  Instinctive  feelings  are 
stronger  than  the  power  of  self  control  in 
the  beginning,  and  life  needs  shielding 
more  than  testing.  God  says,  ''Fathers, 
provoke  not  your  children  to  anger,"  or, 
literally,  ''Fathers,  irritate  not  your  chil- 


86  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

dren  beyond  measure,  but  nourish  them 
fully  in  the  instruction  and  admonition  of 
the  Lord." 

2.     The  Expression  of  the  Feelings. 

Every  normal  feeling  tends  irresistibly 
to  express  itself  in  action  unless  it  is  held 
in  leash.  The  story  of  the  poor  family 
needs  the  addition  of  no  impassioned 
appeal;  the  child  is  already  wondering 
whether  he  can  empty  his  bank  for  their 
help.  If  expression  is  denied  to  the  feel- 
ing, it  tends  to  die  out,  and  continual  re- 
pression means  a  lessening  either  in  power 
to  act  or  power  to  feel.  ''Sentimen- 
talists" have  lost  power  to  act  except  in 
tears  or  ejaculations  when  their  emotions 
are  stirred,  and  ''hardened"  people  have 
lost  the  power  to  feel  under  ordinary  stim- 
ulation. Therefore  nothing  is  more  fatal 
to  vigorous  development  of  the  feelings 
of  the  child  than  to  allow  them  to  be  dis- 
sipated without  expression  in  the  action 
they  naturally  suggest. 

But  nurture  will  see  that  little  hands  are 
allowed  to  hinder  by  *' helping"  to  make 
the  beds,  or  dust  the  room  or  carry  the 
package,  not  simply  that  love  may  grow 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  87 

stronger,  but  that  in  after  years  there  may 
be  the  desire  to  lift  the  burdens  in  reality 
from  wearied  shoulders,  for  the  higher 
feelings  of  life  develop  from  the  instinctive 
feelings,  if  they  have  proper  expression  in 
the  beginning.  Love  that  is  almost  bar- 
ter in  early  years,  since  it  is  bestowed  for 
value  received,  if  given  constant  expres- 
sion in  acts  of  helpfulness,  will  become  the 
self-denying  love  of  later  years.  Love 
for  self,  which  is  so  strong  in  a  child,  can 
be  developed  toward  its  manifestation  of 
self  respect,  by  using  it  at  first  in  child- 
hood, "to  help  this  good  body  grow  both 
strong  and  tall."  Childish  hate  may  be 
directed  against  wrong  things,  in  prepara- 
tion for  indignation  against  sin  of  future 
years.  It  must  not  be  forgotten,  how- 
ever, that  in  God's  economy  every  feel- 
ing, if  properly  used,  has  its  work  to  do  in 
character  building  in  every  stage  of  its 
development,  so  that  even  the  foundation 
stones  may  be  laid  in  beauty  and  strength. 

THE  WILL 

The  power  of  the  soul  to  make  deliberate 
choice  of  action,   and  unwaveringly  to 


88  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

execute  it,  is  undeveloped  in  this  period 
of  Early  Childhood.  The  child  does  not 
balance  reasons  or  desires.  Instead,  he 
acts  impetuously  and  unthinkingly,  as 
the  feeling  of  the  passing  moment  impels 
him.  Often  one  desire  so  completely 
absorbs  his  mind  as  to  obscure  every- 
thing else,  and  he  will  make  any  effort  to 
gain  his  end.  His  case  is  like  that  of  a 
man  who  "sets  his  heart"  on  a  thing,  or 
who  harbors  an  alluring  temptation  too 
long,  until  it  overpowers  him.  This  is 
the  explanation  of  most  cases  of  obstinacy 
and  strong  will,  as  is  proven  by  the  dis- 
appearance of  the  ''will"  when  the  mind 
is  diverted. 

One  of  the  deepest  desires  of  every  par- 
ent and  teacher  is  that  there  shall  in 
truth  be  a  strong  will  as  the  life  matures, 
and  so  its  training  is  sought.  But  just 
what  is  meant  by  it?  We  know  there  is 
no  separate  faculty  to  be  strengthened  as 
the  arm  is  strengthened.  What  can  be 
trained?  The  only  training  possible  is 
in  helping  the  soul  to  form  the  habit  of 
choosing  to  do  the  right  thing,  or,  ana- 
lyzing still  more  closely,  of  following  the 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  89 

promptings  of  the  noblest  feelings  of  the 
heart. 

The  inseparable  relation  between  feel- 
ing and  action  has  been  noted.  If  the 
noblest  feelings  can  be  made  the  strong- 
est, they  will  be  followed.  The  previous 
discussion  shows  that  their  strength  is 
increased  every  time  they  are  aroused  and 
acted  upon,  and  this  leads  to  habit  in 
both  feeling  and  action.  The  nurture  of 
the  will  or  executive  power  of  the  soul  is 
seen,  therefore,  to  be  most  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  nurture  of  the  feelings, 
and  its  work  will  consist  in  making  the 
right  course  of  action  so  appealing  that 
the  child  will  desire  and  choose  it  for  him- 
self, until  it  becomes  habitual,  and  con- 
sequently, undebatable.  Forcing  him  to 
follow  it,  secures  the  action;  it  does  not 
arouse  the  feelings  that  would  lead  him  to 
choose  to  do  the  act  himself. 

An  act  compelled  is  like  an  apple  tied 
to  a  fruit  tree;  it  did  not  grow  there  and 
has  no  connection  with  the  life  of  the  tree. 
A  fruit  tree  that  can  not  bear  its  own 
fruit  is  worthless,  and  a  life  that  does  not 
reach  the  point  of  producing  its  own  right 


90  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

actions,  independent  of  human  coercion, 
is  a  failure.  The  comparison  may  be 
pressed  still  further.  No  quantity  of 
apples  tied  upon  a  tree  will  ever  make  it 
produce  apples,  and  even  so,  no  number 
of  right  acts  imposed  upon  a  child  will,  in 
itself,  make  him  do  right  things  volunta- 
rily. This  can  only  come  through  strength- 
ening in  his  own  soul  the  processes  that 
lead  to  right  action.  The  truth  of  this  is 
proven  in  the  case  of  thousands  of  boys 
who  did  the  right  things  at  home  because 
they  were  compelled  to  do  so,  but  when 
they  left  home  they  went  wrong.  The 
one  who  should  have  nurtured  was  too 
busy,  or  too  thoughtless,  to  take  the  time 
to  lead  into  strength  and  uprightness  the 
thinking  and  feeling  and  choosing  of  the 
soul  while  it  was  developing.  It  was 
easier  to  say  peremptorily,  ''Do  this," 
with  the  inevitable  result,  that  when 
compulsion  was  removed  character  gave 
way  because  it  was  weak. 

But  some  one  is  saying,  "That  is  a  very 
questionable  doctrine;  'Let  the  child  do 
as  he  pleases,  if  he  don't  want  to  do  the 
right,  don't  force  him.'  " 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  91 

Such  a  deduction  from  the  argument 
entirely  misses  the  point.  The  child 
must  do  the  right,  but,  in  a  nutshell — 
which  is  the  stronger  constraint — outer 
or  inner?  Which  makes  character  surer, 
the  voice  without,  saying,  'You  must,' 
or  the  voice  within  which  says  it?  No 
external  power  could  have  made  Paul's 
record  of  service,  or  Brainerd's  or  Paton's. 
All  the  force  of  the  Russian  government 
was  powerless  to  obtain  that  which  each 
Japanese  soldier  poured  out  upon  his 
country's  altar  in  the  fight  for  supremacy 
in  Manchuria.  These  deeds  are  the  soul's 
response  to  the  most  irresistible  power  in 
the  world — a  consuming  passion.  It  was 
such  a  passion,  intense  beyond  earthly 
fathom,  that  led  the  Savior  through 
Gethsemane  to  Calvary. 

Because  this  is  so,  the  Heavenly  Fa- 
ther's effort  to  secure  right  action  from 
His  children  is  not  evident  in  external 
compulsion.  Through  His  favor  and 
fellowship,  the  joy  of  His  approval,  the 
peace  that  passeth  understanding,  the 
''Well  done,"  the  eternal  reward,  He 
endeavors  to  arouse  love  for  Himself  and 


92  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

what  He  desires,  in  order  that  His  will 
may  be  chosen. 

According  to  this  Divine  pattern  human 
nurture  labors.  At  the  very  first,  the 
parent  must  make  choice  for  the  child, 
but  earlier  than  is  usually  appreciated,  def- 
inite training  may  be  begun.  The  lov- 
ing smile  of  the  mother  and  her  known 
wish,  her  approval  or  disapproval,  her  rec- 
ognition and  encouragement,  the  knowl- 
edge that,  ''Whatsoever  a  man  soweth 
that  must  he  also  reap,"  gained  through 
bearing  the  penalty  or  enjoying  the  re- 
ward of  each  choice,  the  right  course  made 
attractive  in  the  story  of  some  one  who 
chose  it,  or,  most  magnetic  of  all,  in  the 
life  of  the  one  who  is  nurturing,  all  these 
will  begin  to  arouse  the  inner  constraint 
that  compels,  and  with  glad  acquiescence 
the  soul  will  say,  ''Necessity  is  laid  upon 
me. 

When  the  life  shall  learn  that  the  most 
blessed  joy  that  inheres  in  right  actions  is 
not  human  approval  but  God's  favor,  and 
for  His  sake,  with  face  steadfastly  set,  the 
right  is  followed,  even  though  shorn  of 
all  external  attractiveness,   the  highest 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  93 

development  possible  for  a  soul  has  been 
realized. 

APPLICATION  TO  SUNDAY  SCHOOL  WORK 

The  Sunday  School  is  such  an  impor- 
tant factor  in  religious  training  that  a 
special  application  of  the  foregoing  dis- 
cussion to  its  methods  and  work  seems 
wise.  It  is  evident  that  plans  can  not  be 
detailed,  but  only  some  principles  under- 
lying the  methods  be  suggested. 

THE  CRADLE  ROLL 

In  the  first  department  known  as  the 
Cradle  Roll,  nurture  can  be  given  by  the 
Sunday  School  only  as  it  touches  the  par- 
ents. Any  Cradle  Roll  work  that  cul- 
minates in  the  sentiment  of  securing  the 
babies'  names  and  calling  them,  *'Our 
Sweet  Peas",  has  missed  its  purpose.  A 
peculiar  opportunity  comes  with  the  flood 
tide  of  new  parental  love.  **If  I  had  not 
been  a  Christian  when  my  boy  was  bom,  I 
could  very  easily  xlave  been  led  to  Christ, 
my  heart  was  so  tender  and  full  of  grati- 
tude," said  the  father  of  an  only  son. 

The   Sunday  School  will   nurture   its 


94  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

babes  through  choosing  as  Cradle  Roll 
Superintendent,  a  consecrated  Christian 
woman,  trained  in  the  school  of  life's 
experience,  who  can  come  close  to  other 
mothers  because  she,  too,  has  known  the 
valley  of  the  shadow  and  the  sacred  joy  of 
a  new  bom  life  in  her  arms.  A  unique 
opportunity  is  hers  to  lead  the  parents 
to  Christ  or  into  closer  fellowship  with 
Him,  and  to  help  them  understand  the 
meaning  of  the  life  He  has  lent  them. 

THE  beginners'  DEPARTMENT 

The  Beginners'  Department  will  care 
for  the  years  between  three  and  six. 
Nurture  will  be  concerned  first  with  the 
teacher. 

The  Teacher. — ^The  child's  conception  of 
Christ  will  be  what  he  sees  in  the  teacher. 
He  can  not  conceive  of  any  love  or  tender- 
ness or  gentleness  greater  than  appears 
in  her.  A  mother  came  to  the  teacher  of 
her  little  boy  one  day  and  said,  **John 
was  playing  on  the  floor  this  afternoon, 
and  all  at  once  he  stopped  and  watched 
me,  and  then  said,  'Mamma,  I  wish  you 
were  as  much  like  Jesus  as  my  teacher 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  95 

is/' ''  The  lesson,  the  music,  the  prayer 
and  all  the  differentiation  of  the  day  and 
place  tend  to  elevate  the  teacher  above 
those  who  share  his  daily  life,  and  envelop 
her  with  an  atmosphere  more  mystic  and 
holy.  She  is  connected  not  with  clothes 
and  bread  and  butter  episodes,  but  wholly 
with  the  thought  of  Jesus,  and  stands  by 
His  side  in  the  child's  thought  and  love, 
and  if  he  love  not  the  teacher  whom  he 
has  seen,  he  can  not  love  God  whom  he 
has  not  seen.  Even  the  physical  charm 
of  the  teacher  will  make  his  picture  of  the 
Christ  more  beautiful.  Nurture  demands 
above  all  else  that  the  teacher  of  a 
Beginners'  Class  suggest  "One  altogether 
lovely,"  to  the  sensitive,  imaginative  and 
imitative  soul  of  the  child,  for  her  message 
to  him  is  ever  silently,  but  irresistibly, 
**Be  ye  imitators  of  me  as  I  am  of  Christ." 

The  Place. — ^The  place  of  meeting  must 
fulfill  certain  conditions  to  give  proper 
nurture. 

Because  of  the  restlessness  of  these 
years,  it  ought  to  afford  opportunity  for 
physical  movement.  Even  if  a  separate 
room  is  not  available,  screens  or  curtains 


96  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

should  make  it  possible  for  the  children 
to  change  their  position  frequently.  The 
separation  will  also  remove  the  tempta- 
tion for  curiosity  to  obtain  satisfaction 
through  roving  eyes.  The  place  should 
provide  comfortable  seating  arrange- 
ments, for  impressions  carried  within  from 
strained  muscles  and  tired  limbs  are  far 
stronger  than  from  ideas  that  the  teacher 
gives,  and  these  will  consequently  receive 
the  attention. 

But  it  is  not  sufficient  to  plan  for 
seclusion  and  comfort.  Nurture  thinks 
beyond  and  deeper  than  this.  The  child 
is  gaining  his  first  impressions  of  religious 
things  during  these  years,  and  his  ideas 
will  be  derived  from  what  his  senses  give 
him.  There  is  no  way  to  give  him  the 
thought  of  the  beauty  of  holiness,  and  the 
joy  that  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ 
brings,  except  to  make  every  thing  asso- 
ciated with  it  as  glad  and  beautiful  as 
may  be.  Choice  pictures,  flowers,  sun- 
shine, order,  all  mysteriously  transmit 
their  beauty  to  the  child's  thought  of 
God.  The  more  attractive  the  visible 
things,  the  more  magnetic  the  charm  of 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  97 

the  invisible.  **Out  of  Zion,  the  per- 
fection of  beauty,  God  hath  shined." 

The  Equipment. — ^The  equipment  is 
not  to  be  a  heterogeneous  collection  of 
things,  and  yet  the  child  must  be  taught 
through  his  senses.  A  Bible  which  can 
be  kept  before  the  children  and  reverently 
handled,  to  teach  reverence  by  suggestion, 
is  of  first  importance.  Little  chairs,  or 
an  equally  comfortable  substitute,  a 
blackboard  and  an  instrument,  if  possible, 
will  give  good  working  capital. 

Since  taste  is  forming  at  this  time  and 
every  thing  has  an  influence  in  determin- 
ing its  direction,  the  beautiful  pictures  in 
black  and  white  are  gaining  favor  through 
their  artistic  execution  and  subdued 
coloring.  To  this  equipment  may  be 
added  special  objects  designed  to  make 
the  facts  of  special  lessons  clearer — the 
sand  table  occasionally,  or  models. 
Thoughtful  teachers  are  more  and  more 
convinced  that  while  Kindergarten 
principles  should  obtain,  the  Kinder- 
garten should  not  be  moved  bodily  into 
the  Sunday  School.  Values  must  be 
balanced,  and  over  against  the  reasons 


98  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

which  might  be  given  for  bringing  in  all 
the  equipment  of  the  week-day  environ- 
ment, there  is  this  great  fact: — the  child  is 
to  be  taught  that  religion  is  the  supreme 
thing  in  the  world,  and  he  can  learn  it 
only  by  differentiating  it  in  a  tangible  way 
from  other  things.  This  means  that  the 
methods,  music,  material  and  beauty 
associated  with  it  ought  to  make  it  dis- 
tinctive, and  more  attractive  than  any 
of  the  week-day  surroundings. 

After  he  learns  that  it  is  the  chief 
thing  in  the  world,  he  can  learn  how  to 
bring  it  down  to  the  common  things  of 
life  without  sacrificing  its  supremacy, 
instead  of  dragging  the  every-dayness 
into  it. 

The  Program. — ^The  program  must  be 
varied,  because  self  control  is  weak,  and 
attention  will  be  given  to  one  thing  only 
so  long  as  interest  is  active.  Music 
should  have  a  prominent  place,  provided 
it  is  meaningful,  choice,  and  suggestive 
of  the  thought  desired,  in  music  as  well 
as  words.  Since  this  is  the  rhythmic  and 
imitative  period  of  life,  motion  songs  can 
be  occasionally  used,  provided  the  motions 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  99 

are  not  mechanical  and  artificiaL  The 
foot  notes  which  say  that  at  1  the  hands 
should  be  clasped,  at  2  they  should  wave, 
and  at  3  be  raindrops,  miss  the  point  of  a 
motion  song.  Unless  the  child  sponta- 
neously expresses  the  thought  which  the 
song  suggests  to  him,  the  motions  have 
no  value,  aside  from  a  rest  exercise. 

The  entire  program  should  be  planned 
around  the  thought  of  leading  the  child 
into  a  genuine  love  for  God.  Nature  is 
beautiful,  but  its  place  in  Sunday  School 
is  subordinate  to  Him.  The  most  ex- 
quisite song  that  ends  with  birds  and 
flowers  falls  below  the  highest  nurture. 
Love  must  be  both  aroused  and  ex- 
pressed during  the  hour's  session.  Music, 
Scripture,  the  enumeration  of  His  bless- 
ings, the  joy  over  birthdays  and  new 
scholars  He  has  sent,  the  lesson,  the  care- 
fully selected  pictures  and  stories  of 
what  His  love  has  done  for  other  boys 
and  girls  unlike  them,  an  atmosphere  of 
gladness  and  reverence  will  kindle  it; 
the  offering  service,  the  prayer,  Scripture 
and  music  will  express  it.  The  sugges- 
tion from  teacher,  place,  program  and 


100  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

lesson  combined,  should  be  a  great,  won- 
derful God  who  loves  little  children,  as 
well  as  a  Christ  who  took  the  children  in 
His  arms. 

The  Lesson. — ^The  course  known  as 
**The  Two  Years'  Course  for  Beginners" 
affords  the  best  subject  matter  for  the 
lessons  for  the  following  reasons: 

1.  Bible  truths  needed  first  in  the  life 
of  a  little  child  have  been  carefully 
selected  and  arranged  in  their  logical 
order. 

2.  As  many  lessons  as  are  needed  to 
make  each  truth  clear  and  to  fix  it  in 
memory  are  devoted  to  it. 

3.  The  setting  for  the  truths  to  be 
taught  is  given  in  stories,  not  abstract 
statements. 

4.  The  same  Golden  Text  is  used  for 
all  the  lessons  teaching  one  truth,  is 
simple,  intelligible  and,  by  repetition  in 
connection  with  several  lessons,  can  be 
fixed. 

5.  The  pictures  accompanying  the 
lessons  are  very  choice  both  in  theme 
and  execution. 

Since   the   only    ideas   the   child   will 


EARLY  CHILDHOOD  101 

receive  of  the  lesson  must  come  through 
his  senses  and  bodily  activity,  and  since, 
of  his  senses,  sight  and  touch  make  a 
clearer  impression  than  hearing,  large 
use  should  be  made  of  them.  Further, 
as  this  is  the  period  of  imitation  of  definite 
acts,  the  lesson  should  present  forcibly 
and  fascinatingly,  an  activity  within  his 
power  to  imitate. 

The  end  sought,  as  a  result  of  the  nur- 
ture of  this  period,  is  that  the  child  may 
become  truly  a  child  of  God,  and  never 
know  a  time  when  he  did  not  love  Him. 

This  may  be  achieved,  for  the  heart  of 
a  little  child  is  open  and  peculiarly  sensi- 
tized to  the  matchless  story  of  Jesus 
Christ.  When  it  is  presented  to  him 
aright,  he  always  responds  in  faith  and 
love.  In  this  response,  the  conditions 
upon  which  spiritual  sonship  is  conferred 
are  met,  for,  *'As  many  as  received  Him, 
to  them  gave  He  the  right  to  become 
children  of  God,  even  to  them  that 
believe  on  His  name." 


CHAPTER  V 
CHILDHOOD— SIX  TO  TWELVE 

No  abrupt  change  marks  the  transi- 
tion from  the  period  of  Early  Child- 
hood to  Childhood,  but  development  is 
continuous  and  rapid  in  every  direction. 
The  larger  social  world,  entered  through 
school  life,  and  the  new  intellectual 
world,  revealed  through  ability  to  read, 
widen  the  child's  vision  and  develop 
possibilities  hitherto  latent,  because  un- 
needed. 

The  Sunday  School  divides  the  period 
of  Childhood  into  the  "Primary  Age," 
from  six  to  nine,  and  the  * 'Junior  Age," 
from  nine  to  twelve,  basing  the  division 
as  accurately  as  is  possible  upon  the 
awakening  of  these  latent  possibilities. 
The  development  of  this  period  will 
therefore  be  considered  according  to  this 
classification. 

THE    PRIMARY    AGE — SIX    TO   NINE 

During  these  years  the  characteris- 
tics of  Early  Childhood  remain  in  more 

103 


104  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

or  less  modified  form.  Physical  growth 
is  still  rapid  in  all  parts  of  the  body,  the 
brain  reaching  almost  full  size  by  the 
ninth  year.  Parallel  with  this  vigorous 
physical  growth  is  a  mental  growth  and 
development  equally  rapid  and  many 
sided.  Curiosity  is  as  hungry  as  ever, 
still  more  eager  concerning  things  than 
abstract  ideas,  and  still  a  goad  to  active 
senses.  The  mind  has  increased  power 
to  retain  what  is  given  it,  and  about 
the  ninth  year  enters  upon  its  **  Golden 
Memory  Period.'*  The  ability  to  reason 
is  gradually  increasing,  though  it  is  used 
more  upon  relationships  between  things 
than  between  ideas. 

The  child's  feelings  are  still  self -cen- 
tered, yet  development  of  the  social  and 
altruistic  feelings  is  apparent.  Children 
enjoy  companionship  more  than  in  ear- 
lier years,  but  the  longing  for  others 
does  not  reach  the  intensity  which  de- 
mands the  club  and  gang  until  later. 
A  feeling  of  sympathy  and  desire  to  help 
must  still  be  awakened  by  definite  cases 
of  need,  plus  the  influence  of  parent  or 
teacher,  as  the  child  does  not  yet  know 


CHILDHOOD  105 

life's  hard  experiences  well  enough  to 
read  their  meaning  and  give  response  to 
them  of  himself. 

If  nurture  has  met  its  opportunity  in 
the  preceding  period,  the  child's  love 
for  God  and  confidence  in  Him  have 
grown  stronger.  The  Heavenly  Father 
will  be  as  real  to  him  as  an  earthly 
friend,  and  His  help  a  living  experience. 
"How  is  it  that  you  always  have  a  per- 
fect spelling  lesson  at  school?"  a  primary 
teacher  asked  of  one  of  her  boys.  "Why, 
don't  you  know  that  Jesus  sits  in  the 
seat  with  me  every  day  and  helps  me?" 
he  replied.  The  teacher's  face  betok- 
ened her  surprise,  and  the  child  em- 
phatically reiterated,  "He  truly  does 
sit  with  me  and  help  me."  Would 
that  God's  older  children  could  live 
as  actually  in  the  Presence  that  was 
promised  for  "all  the  days." 

Actions  continue  to  be  largely  impul- 
sive, carried  out  according  to  the  strong- 
est present  desire,  and  though  right  and 
wrong  are  more  clearly  understood  than 
formerly,  they  do  not  often  determine 
an  act  unsupported  by  other  considera- 


106  THE    UNFOLDING   LIFE 

tions.  This  is  evident  in  the  matter 
of  obedience,  whose  strengthening  into 
a  habit  is  one  of  the  most  imperative 
tasks  of  nurture  during  childhood.  Ab- 
stract laws  and  principles  of  right,  so 
weighty  in  middle  adolescence,  have 
but  slight  influence  over  the  child,  un- 
less joined  with  them  is  a  strong  per- 
sonality whom  the  child  loves  or  fears, 
and  whose  favor  he  desires  to  win 
through  obeying. 

There  are  certain  modifications  of  ear- 
liei  characteristics,  which  demand  more 
than  a  passing  notice,  because  they 
necessitate  greater  change  in  the  meth- 
ods of  nurture. 

ACTIVITY 

Though  the  restlessness  of  the  preced- 
ing period  is  still  in  evidence,  more  and 
more  activity  is  becoming  purposeful 
and  willed.  While  the  child  continues 
to  love  activity  for  itself,  he  is  more  in- 
terested in  what  it  will  accomplish  than 
formerly,  but  an  end  is  not  yet  suffici- 
ently attractive  in  itself  to  hold  him  to 
an  unpleasant  activity  for  its  achieve- 


CHILDHOOD  107 

ment.  For  example,  he  enjoys  both  the 
weaving  and  the  basket,  the  pasting  and 
the  scrap-book,  but  if  pasting  and  weav- 
ing were  laborious  and  difficult,  he 
would  not  voluntarily  go  through  them 
to  obtain  the  basket  or  the  scrap-book. 
It  must  be  noted  further,  that  activ- 
ity still  expends  itself  more  readily  in 
the  realm  of  the  physical  than  the  men- 
tal, though  there  is  increasing  pleasure 
in  the  quest  for  knowledge,  if  wisely 
directed.  The  Sunday  School  is  begin- 
ning to  recognize  what  the  day  school 
has  learned,  that  the  child  both  enjoys 
and  masters  a  lesson  which  can  be  ap- 
proached through  physical  as  well  as 
mental  avenues.  In  consequence,  hand 
work  is  being  introduced  to  aid  in  re- 
ligious instruction,  as  manual  work  in 
the  public  schools  for  secular  education, 
with  most  gratifying  .  results  in  both 
eases. 

THE  SENSES 

More  skill,  more  accuracy  and  more 
discrimination  characterize  the  work  of 
the  senses  than  in  Early  Childhood. 
The  impressions  are  richer  in  detail  and 


108  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

meaning,  because  of  the  increased  knowl- 
edge possessed  by  the  child.  It  is  a 
commonplace  that  we  receive  from  any- 
thing in  proportion  to  what  we  bring 
to  it.  The  ear  of  the  musician  hears  in 
an  orchestra  what  the  child  or  the  adult 
without  the  knowledge  of  music  could 
never  detect,  because  he  listens  with 
more  than  they.  The  child  can  see  in  a 
picture  or  circumstance,  and  hear  in  a 
conversation  or  a  song,  what  once  he 
could  not,  because  he  brings  a  larger 
experience  to  bear  upon  it.  Criticism 
of  others  in  the  home,  the  lapses  from 
Christ-like  living,  the  scenes  of  the 
street,  things  pernicious  as  well  as  help- 
ful have  greater  significance  in  charac- 
ter building  than  ever  before.  This 
gives  still  graver  emphasis  to  the  work 
of  nurture  in  guarding  these  wide-open 
doorways  to  a  hungry  soul. 

Growing  out  of  the  fact  that  the 
senses  are  the  greatest  source  of  infor- 
mation to  the  child's  mind,  the  method 
of  teaching  by  means  of  objects  has 
arisen.  Rightly  used,  there  is  great 
value  in  this  mode  of  instruction,  but  a 


CHILDHOOD  109 

serious  perversion  of  its  legitimate  use 
has  developed  in  connection  with  re- 
ligious instruction  of  little  children. 
Though  the  discussion  of  this  may  be 
a  possible  digression,  it  seems  necessary 
in  order  to  safeguard  nurture  from  a 
mistake. 

There  are  two  helpful  methods  of 
using  an  object  with  children  in  the 
Beginners'  and  Primary  age.  The  first 
is  to  explain  an  unfamiliar  fact,  or  make 
it  clear.  A  model  of  an  oriental  house 
or  curios  from  a  mission  field  are  ex- 
amples of  this.  The  second  use  is  to 
illustrate  a  fact.  The  flower  is  the  vis- 
ible expression  of  God's  loving  care; 
the  table,  heaped  high  with  grains  and 
fruits  and  vegetables  at  the  Thanks- 
giving service,  teaches  as  no  mere  words 
could  the  fact  of  God's  provision  for 
our  need.  Objects  used  in  this  way 
require  no  reasoning  power  to  make 
their  meaning  clear.  It  is  only  a  mat- 
ter of  perception. 

The  use  of  an  object,  however,  in 
order  to  deduce  spiritual  truth  there- 
from for  children  with  reasoning  powers 


no  THE    UNFOLDING   LIFE 

undeveloped,  is  a  mistake.  Instead  of 
making  the  thought  clearer  to  their 
minds  it  obscures  it.  Close  examina- 
tion reveals  the  reason  for  this.  A  child 
is  both  imaginative  and  literal.  Through 
his  imagination  he  can  transform  one 
object  into  another  object,  as  we  have 
already  observed,  but  in  this  case  he  is 
asked  to  transform  an  object  into  an 
abstract  idea.  This  he  does  not  easily 
do,  since  such  transformation  is  made 
by  reason,  not  by  imagination.  Further, 
the  spiritual  teachings  are  drawn  from 
the  abstract  idea  which  the  object  is 
supposed  to  represent,  not  from  the  ob- 
ject itself.  Manifestly,  therefore,  if  he 
does  not  get  the  idea  he  will  not  get  the 
deductions  from  it.  His  mind  does  not 
follow  beyond  the  point  where  he  can 
understand,  consequently,  his  thought 
remains  with  the  object  as  it  literally  is. 
To  illustrate,  take  the  familiar  object 
lesson  of  a  cup  overflowing  with  water, 
used  to  teach  the  thought  of  God's 
manifold  blessings  in  the  life.  The  child 
is  asked  to  change  the  cup  into  the  ab- 
stract thought  of  life,  and  water  into  the 


CHILDHOOD  111 

thought  of  blessing.  This  is  difficult, 
for  it  involves  reason  and  deals  with  re- 
semblances which  are  artificial,  not  real. 
The  child's  literalism,  therefore,  asserts 
itself,  and  the  cup  remains  a  cup  and 
the  water  is  still  water,  and  while  the 
teacher  is  drawing  conclusions,  the  child 
is  probably  wondering  whether  her  dress 
will  get  wet  or  how  he  can  get  a  drink. 

The  same  principle  obtains  in  regard 
to  certain  types  of  blackboard  illustra- 
tions. The  child  is  asked  to  change  a 
cross  into  suffering,  a  crown  into  vic- 
tory, a  red  cardboard  heart  into  life,  and 
a  picture  of  Jesus  Christ  pinned  upon  it 
into  regeneration.  He  does  not  make 
these  transformations  until  reason  is 
more  fully  developed  than  in  this  peri- 
od. Lines  remain  lines,  cardboard  is 
still  cardboard  and  spiritual  deductions 
do  not  reach  his  understanding. 

The  fact  that  an  object  or  drawing  is 
always  interesting  does  not  alter  the 
principle  at  all,  for  being  interested  and 
being  instructed  are  not  necessarily 
equivalent  terms.  The  lesson  must  al- 
ways be   interesting,   but   it  must   also 


112  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

gain  entrance  according  to  the  laws  of 
the  mind  to  be  instructive. 

INTERESTS 

The  interests  of  this  period  include 
those  of  the  preceding  period,  but  they 
are  more  diverse  and  far-reaching  than 
in  Early  Childhood.  They  still  center 
around  the  concrete,  and  especially  phys- 
ical activity.  Crude  and  amazingly 
heterogeneous  collections  begin  to  make 
their  appearance  in  boys'  pockets  and 
girls'  treasure  boxes.  Dolls  are  never 
so  dear  to  their  fond  mothers  as  in  this 
period.  Games  and  active  outdoor 
sports  appeal  to  both  boys  and  girls, 
those  games  being  particularly  enjoy- 
able which  give  the  individual  an  oppor- 
tunity to  shine.  Real  team  play  is  im- 
possible at  this  time,  since  in  honor  each 
prefers  himself.  Any  scepticism  upon 
this  point  will  be  dispelled  by  listening 
to  the  modest  aspirants  for  office  when 
the  positions  in  a  football  game  are 
being  assigned.  The  explanation  for  this 
lies  partially  in  the  instinct  of  rivalry, 
which    arrays    individual    against    indi- 


CHILDHOOD  113 

vidual,  all  through  the  early  years  of 
life.  When  the  social  feeling  which  welds 
individuals  into  groups  becomes  strong, 
rivalry  will  appear  between  gangs  and 
clubs  rather  than  between  individuals. 

A  significant  change  occurs  in  connec- 
tion with  that  which  the  child  desires 
to  imitate.  At  first,  definite  acts  fo- 
cused the  most  of  his  interest  and  aroused 
imitation,  now,  interest  begins  to  attach 
itself  to  the  actor  as  well,  and  the  child 
not  only  desires  to  imitate  the  deed 
but  also  to  emulate  the  doer.  Out  of 
this  a  little  later  comes  real  hero  worship, 
an  incentive  to  action  than  which  life 
holds  no  greater.  Another  fact  in  con- 
nection with  this  is  also  significant; 
those  whom  he  desires  to  resemble  need 
not  be  in  the  home  circle  nor  in  his 
environment,  as  at  first,  but  may  be 
distant  in  time  and  place.  This  new 
interest  in  people  whom  he  can  not  see 
lends  added  charm  and  value  to  Bible 
stories  and,  if  told  aright,  they  will  do 
for  his  life  what  can  be  done  in  no  other 
way  so  effectively. 

Surely  Agur,  the  son  of  Jakeh,saw  no 


114  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

eager  little  faces  upturned  to  his,  plead- 
ing, ''Tell  me  another,"  or  he  would  have 
added  to  the  things  that  are  never  satis- 
fied, nor  say,  "It  is  enough,"  the  hunger 
of  a  child  for  a  story.  Since  hunger  is 
always  indicative  of  a  need  in  the  de- 
veloping life,  there  must  be  a  reason 
for  this  craving.  It  is  found  in  con- 
nection with  the  rapid  development  and 
requirements  of  the  imagination. 

There  are  two  ways  in  which  a  truth 
may  be  taught.  One  is  through  an  ab- 
stract statement,  such  as,  "Intemper- 
ance destroys  the  happiness  of  a  home." 
The  other  is  through  the  concrete,  or 
the  story  of  a  home  blighted  by  liquor. 
The  first  appeals  to  reason,  and  can  be 
understood  only  in  the  light  of  experi- 
ence; the  second  requires  simply  the 
exercise  of  a  vivid  imagination.  Of 
reasoning  power,  the  child  at  this  time 
has  little,  but  he  has  an  imagination 
vivid,  strong  and  hungry,  eagerly  reach- 
ing out  for  something  to  feed  upon. 
The  well-told  story  fully  satisfies  his 
hunger,  and  at  the  same  time  meets  the 
greatest  need  of  the  whole  soul,  namely, 


CHILDHOOD  115 

the  placing  of  right  ideals  before  it  in 
such  a  way  that  they  will  be  worked  out 
into  character. 

To  accomplish  this  result  three  things 
are  necessary:  first,  the  thought  sug- 
gesting the  ideal  must  be  understood; 
second,  it  must  rouse  the  feelings;  third, 
it  must  lead  to  action.  The  story  meets 
every  demand. 

1.  It  makes  the  truth  concrete. 
The    statement,    ''Love    will    endure 

hardships  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ," 
is  only  a  thought  in  the  brain.  The 
story  of  Paul  or  Livingston  brings  the 
truth  out  of  that  intangible  world,  puts 
flesh  upon  it  and  the  breath  of  life  with- 
in, and  the  child  can  in  imagination  exer- 
cise his  sense  of  sight,  of  hearing  and  of 
touch  upon  it. 

2.  It  makes  the  truth  visible,  and 
therefore  to  be  grasped  through  the 
senses  or  imagination. 

A  thought  can  not  be  seen  by  itself, 
but  if  lived  out  in  the  life  of  a  person 
it  may  be  seen  by  the  physical  eye,  or, 
if  mountains  and  centuries  intervene, 
still  by  the  eye  of  the  soul — the  imag- 


116  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

ination.  When  it  is  seen,  the  fact  it- 
self is  understood,  though  the  reasons 
for  it  may  not  be  comprehended.  While 
no  man  may  ever  know  why  God  so 
loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His  only 
begotten  Son,  we  understand  that  He 
does  love  us,  as  we  see  the  Babe  in  the 
manger  and  the  blessed  Savior  upon 
the  cross.  Only  when  a  truth  is  so 
seen  does  it  become  real  and,  conse- 
quently, of  any  worth  to  the  life.  Here- 
in lies  the  need  and  the  power  of  **  Liv- 
ing Epistles,"  not  only  in  the  material 
world,  but  also  in  the  world  of  the 
imagination. 

3.  When  the  truth  is  seen  it  always 
arouses   feeling. 

A  thought  which  is  merely  known 
does  not  move  men.  It  is  possible  to 
read  of  a  terrible  tragedy  with  meas- 
ured pulse  and  indifferent  heart,  but 
if  the  reader  was  an  eye  witness,  or 
allows  imagination  to  picture  it  for  him, 
his  soul  quivers  in  its  presence.  One 
of  the  greatest  needs  of  our  teachers  is 
to  see  the  Master  among  the  hills  and 
by  the  blue  waters   of  Gennesaret,  to 


CHILDHOOD  117 

look  into  His  face,  to  hear  His  voice 
till  hearts  burn.  Then  they  will  not 
repeat  words,  but,  **  Looking  upon  Jesus 
as  He  walked,"  say,  "Behold  Him!"  in 
such  a  way  that  the  children  will  see 
Him  also,  and  a  great  love  for  Him  be 
bom  in  their  hearts,  and  a  longing  to 
follow. 

4.  The  truth  that  is  seen  and  felt 
impels  to  action. 

This  has  already  been  discussed  in 
connection  with  the  feelings,  and  an 
illustration  will  suffice  at  this  time. 

A  mission  Sunday  School  was  listen- 
ing to  a  talk  on  the  fixedness  of  habits 
formed  in  youth,  and  to  make  it  clearer 
the  speaker  said,  "Boys,  do  they  ever 
lay  cement  walks  in  this  neighborhood?" 
Every  eye  was  riveted  on  him,  as  they 
answered,  "Yes!"  "Did  you  know,"  he 
continued,  "that  if  you  were  to  take  a 
sharp-pointed  stick  and  write  your  name 
in  the  cement  while  it  was  soft,  it  would 
harden  and  remain  there  as  long  as  the 
walk  lasted?"  "Of  course,"  he  hastily 
added,  as  a  significant  expression  ap- 
peared  on   their   faces,    "no    boy   here 


118  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

would  be  mean  enough  to  do  such  a 
thing,"  but  it  was  too  late — ^the  picture 
had  done  its  work  and  the  purpose  of 
handing  autographs  down  to  posterity 
would  be  executed  at  the  first  oppor- 
tunity. 

Such  is  the  power  of  the  image  or 
picture  to  lead  to  action.  Only  the 
Father  knows  how  many  sons  have 
come  home  from  the  far  country  be- 
cause of  the  matchless  story  of  the 
prodigal.  Only  He  knows  how  many 
consecrated  men  and  women  are  in 
Africa  and  China  and  Japan  because 
they  saw  the  heroes  in  God's  Hall  of 
Fame.  Surely  this  is  why  the  Holy 
Spirit  inspired  Paul  to  write,  "Whatso- 
ever things  are  true,  whatsoever  things 
are  honorable,  whatsoever  things  are 
just,  whatsoever  things  are  pure,  what- 
soever things  are  lovely,  whatsoever 
things  are  of  good  report,  if  there  be 
any  virtue,  if  there  be  any  praise,  think 
on  these  things." 

5.  If  the  imagination  steadily  hold 
the  picture,  some  day  the  life  will  be 
like  it. 


CHILDHOOD  119 

It  is  impossible  for  the  soul  to  look 
day  after  day  upon  anything  without 
unconsciously  being  changed  into  its 
likeness.  Hawthorne  has  exquisitely 
portrayed  the  transformation  of  Er- 
nest into  the  image  of  the  Great  Stone 
Face,  and,  in  so  doing,  has  told  the  story 
of  every  life  that  gazes  fixedly  on  its  ideal. 
Herein  lies  the  blessed  secret  of  Christ- 
likeness:  *'We  all,  with  unveiled  face  re- 
flecting as  a  mirror  the  glory  of  the  Lord, 
are  transformed  into  the  same  image, 
from  glory  to  glory  even  as  from  the 
Lord,  the  Spirit." 

In  the  light  of  these  wonderful  possi- 
bilities growing  out  of  ''seeing  the  in- 
visible," the  oft-quoted  words  of  Stan- 
ley Hall  are  most  significant,  "Of  all 
the  things  that  a  teacher  should  know 
how  to  do,  the  most  important,  with- 
out any  exception,  is  to  know  how  to 
tell  a  story." 

APPLICATION  TO  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 
WORK 

The  requirements  of  the  Primary  de- 
partment   in   regard    to    teacher,    place 


120  THE    UNFOLDING   LIFE 

and  equipment  are  similar  to  those  in 
the  Beginners'  class,  save  that  a  song 
roll  may  now  be  helpfully  added,  since 
the  children  are  learning  to  read.  Irj 
the  matter  of  instruction,  however,  some 
variation  from  preceding  methods  is 
necessary,  owing  to  the  rapid  mental 
development  of  the  children. 

I.     General  Program. 

In  addition  to  the  thought  of  making 
the  service  worshipful  and  joyous,  the 
program  must  be  planned  with  refer- 
ence to  three  important  things: 

(1)  The  Truth  to  be  presented  in 
the  lesson. 

This  should  be  a  guide  to  program 
building  in  the  preceding  department 
as  well,  but  it  becomes  imperative  in 
this  and  the  Junior  departments,  since 
the  truth  to  be  taught  changes  weekly, 
and  therefore  must  be  fastened  during 
one  hour's  work.  Memory  in  this  peri- 
od depends  upon  the  force  of  the  im- 
pression rather  than  upon  association, 
as  in  later  periods,  hence  all  songs 
and  exercises  should  emphasize  the  one 
thought  to  be  given  in  the  lesson.     This 


CHILDHOOD  121 

does  not  require  new  songs  and  services 
weekly.  It  merely  requires  that  the 
old  songs  and  exercises  be  approached 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  lesson,  that 
which  is  pertinent  to  it  being  developed 
in  each. 

The  results  of  this  plan  are  two-fold: 
first,  a  freshness  in  the  program  each 
week,  even  with  familiar  features,  and 
second,  cumulative  emphasis  upon  one 
truth,  thus  fulfilling  the  conditions  of 
memory,  and  therefore  of  nurture. 

(2)     The  Activity  of  the  children. 

The  increased  mental  ability  will  per- 
mit interesting  exercises  to  take  the 
place  of  some  of  the  physical  outlets 
for  activity  necessary  in  the  preceding 
period,  but  they  must  be  brief  and  com- 
pelling in  their  attractiveness. 

The  use  of  motion  songs  is  outgrown, 
especially  with  boys.  During  many 
years  there  has  remained  in  memory  the 
expression  in  the  face  of  a  boy,  head  and 
shoulders  taller  than  any  other  child 
in  the  primary  department,  as  he  stood 
pointing  to  pedal  extremities,  not  less 
than  number  fours,  and  singing,  "Little 


122  THE    UNFOLDING   LIFE 

feet,  be  very  careful  where  you  take  me 
to."  The  sentiment  could  not  possibly 
have  been  wrung  from  him  had  not  the 
superintendent  been  his  mother. 

Hand  work  suggestive  of  the  lesson, 
such  as  pasting,  coloring,  tearing,  cut- 
ting and  simplest  writing  for  the  older 
ones,  is  growing  in  favor  as  a  means  of 
utilizing  the  activity  and  impressing  the 
lesson.  An  outline  of  the  methods  of 
this  work  is  impossible  here,  but  three 
words  of  caution  must  be  spoken. 

First:  Choose  the  time  for  hand  work 
carefully. 

While  it  will  give  wise  outlet  for  ac- 
tivity and  aid  memory,  if  used  in  the 
wrong  place  it  will  tend  to  dissipate  the 
influence  of  the  lesson.  Even  the  past- 
ing of  a  picture  when  the  feelings  are 
deeply  stirred  could  give  them  sufficient 
expression  so  that  they  would  be  satis- 
fied without  further  action.  They  ought 
to  impel  to  imitation  of  the  action  in  the 
story  with  all  the  intensity  that  has  been 
aroused,  instead  of  being  expended  in  a 
mechanical  way.  In  view  of  this  fact, 
the   proper  subject   of  the  hand   work 


CHILDHOOD  123 

would  seem  to  be  the  lesson  of  the  week 
preceding,  and  the  best  time  for  it,  just 
prior  to  the  beginning  of  the  session, 
if  that  be  of  the  usual  hour  length.  This 
time  is  practicable  even  where  the  ses- 
sion immediately  follows  the  church 
service,  and  it  has  three  advantages.  It 
will  counteract  lack  of  punctuality,  will 
utilize  activity  at  its  most  disastrous 
stage — ^the  unoccupied  minutes  before 
the  program  proper  begins — and  will  not 
crowd  out  from  the  hour  any  other  train- 
ing equally  important. 

Second:  Remember  that  valuable  as 
the  hand  work  is  in  clarifying  and  im- 
pressing the  lesson,  it  is  only  a  shell 
containing  the  trath.  Therefore,  a  teach- 
er who  occupies  a  large  part  of  the  hour 
in  this  way  is  not  giving  the  child  suffi- 
cient spiritual  nourishment. 

Third:  This  work  must  be  raised 
above  the  level  of  similar  week-day  occu- 
pations. 

This  may  be  done  through  emphasizing 
the  fact  that  the  child  is  making  a  book 
of  Bible  stories,  and  special  care  must 
be  used  to  make  it  beautiful  and  worthy. 


124  THE    UNFOLDING   LIFE 

A  mission  of  help  or  cheer  to  some  one 
else  may  also  be  held  out  as  a  climax 
to  its  completion. 

(3)  The  program  must  be  planned 
with  reference  to  training  in  habit  for- 
mation. 

Though  the  latter  part  of  Childhood 
is  the  habit  forming  period  of  life, 
pre-eminently,  yet  habits  of  Christian 
activity  must  be  begun  during  these 
earlier  years.  The  children  in  this  de- 
partment are  not  too  young  to  lay  the 
foundations  of  regular  and  punctual  at- 
tendance, bringing  of  Bibles,  giving  to 
church  expenses  and  benevolences,  in- 
terest in  and  gifts  for  missionary  work, 
daily  prayer  and,  under  proper  condi- 
tions, church  attendance. 

II.     Instruction. 

While  special  teaching  must  be  given 
in  connection  with  each  habit  to  be 
formed,  the  supplemental  work  and  the 
lesson  constitute  the  principal  subjects 
of  instruction. 

1.     Supplemental  Work. 

Scripture  for  memorization  in  this 
period    should    be    chosen    primarily  to 


CHILDHOOD  125 

help  the  children  in  habit  formation. 
Information  about  the  Bible  and  stor- 
ing for  future  use  belong  in  the  next 
period  of  "Golden  memory."  Verses 
that  give  the  thought  of  God's  love,  and 
incite  loving  obedience  to  Him  and  to 
their  parents,  and  loving  service  to 
others,  are  fundamental  and  should  pre- 
dominate. The  Twenty-third  Psalm  and 
Lord's  Prayer  will  have  real  meaning, 
and  therefore  help  for  the  child  at  this 
time,  if  carefully  taught.  A  few  of  the 
great  stories  of  the  Bible,  including 
those  of  Christmas  and  Easter,  may  be 
added,  and  some  of  the  hymns  of  the 
church  expressing  God's  majesty  and 
the  thought  of  service. 

2.     The  Lesson. 

Every  principle  of  nurture  already 
discussed  bears  upon  the  presentation  of 
the  lesson. 

(1)  The  lesson  must  bring  an  ideal 
to  the  child  in  concrete  form.  This  will 
be  the  truth  connected  in  some  way  with 
a  person.  Where  the  lesson  gives  the 
negative  side,  or  the  absence  of  the  truth 
in  life,  the  positive  side  must  also  be  pre- 


126  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

sented  and  made  more  attractive,  since 
the  child's  impulse  to  imitate,  even  when 
warned  against  it,  is  stronger  than  the 
warnings.  He  must  always  be  sent  away 
with  something  to  do,  rather  than  not 
to  do. 

(2)  This  ideal  must  always  be  given 
in  a  story.  When  the  lesson  material 
is  abstract,  like  the  Epistles  or  Psalms,  a 
truth  to  be  taught  should  be  selected 
from  it,  and  then  made  concrete  and 
living  in  some  Bible  story. 

(3)  The  story  itself  is  the  mainspring 
to  action,  not  the  application. 

The  forceful,  vivid  and  realistic  pre- 
sentation of  the  story,  made  possible  as 
the  teacher  lives  in  it,  impels  the  child 
to  imitation;  the  application,  or  "ought," 
appeals  to  his  reason  and  compels  him, 
and  action  is  always  more  hearty  when 
impelled  than  when  compelled.  The  only 
after  touch  upon  the  story  which  is  help- 
ful to  little  children  lies  in  plans  for  imi- 
tating the  activity  which  has  been  pic- 
tured. Even  this  is  not  always  to  be 
done.  Jesus  left  the  most  wonderful 
story  He  ever  told  with  no  words  of 


CHILDHOOD  127 

application,  for  they  were  unnecessary. 
He  knew  that  every  prodigal  would  feel 
a  tug  at  the  heartstrings  and  an  impulse 
to  go  home.  At  the  conclusion  of  the 
story  of  the  Good  Samaritan  He  merely 
said,  ''Go  thou  and  do  likewise.*'  Al- 
lowing the  children  to  suggest  what  they 
would  like  to  do  if  they  so  desire,  or 
making  the  suggestion  indirectly  by  song, 
or  prayer,  or  the  teacher's  announcement 
of  her  own  purpose  will  carry  far  more 
weight  than  any  injunction  to  act,  for, 
'The  deepest  spring  of  action  in  us  is 
the  sipht  of  action  in  another." 


CHAPTER  VI 
THE  JUNIOR  AGE— NINE  TO  TWELVE 

The  years  we  are  now  to  consider  are 
among  the  most  interesting  in  all  the 
period  of  development,  and  among  the 
most  exacting,  as  well,  in  the  problems 
they  present.  These  problems  are  re- 
lated, in  the  main,  to  the  ''new  invoice  of 
energy"  which  has  come  into  the  life, 
the  social  feelings,  habit  formation  and 
hero  worship,  and  knowledge  and  pa- 
tience are  almost  exhausted  in  their 
solution. 

A  general  survey  of  the  period  reveals 
much  that  we  are  already  familiar  with, 
together  with  certain  new  conditions. 
We  find  that  some  of  the  winsomeness 
and  much  of  the  demonstrativeness  and 
dependency  of  earlier  childhood  are  gone. 
The  sense  of  approaching  manhood  or 
womanhood  is  beginning  to  stir  in  the 
soul  and,  coincident  with  it,  a  growing 
independence  is  manifest.  While  the 
child  must  still  be  under  authority,  the 

129 


130  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

wisest  nurture  will  consult  his  feelings 
and  wishes  as  far  as  possible,  for  just  be- 
yond this  period  lies  life's  crisis,  and 
every  bond  of  sympathy  and  confidence 
must  unite  the  helper  to  the  one  to  be 
helped  as  the  stormy  passage  is  entered 
upon. 

With  all  this  growing  independence, 
however,  life  is  very  far  from  possessing 
the  marks  of  maturity.  It  is  careless 
and  care  free,  irresponsible  in  general, 
yet  proud  to  carry  definite  responsi- 
bilities. There  is  delight  in  anything 
which  suggests  pre-eminence  over  others, 
such  as  badges,  buttons  and  regalia  of 
any  kind,  or  public  recognition  and  re- 
ward. Frankness  almost  to  the  point  of 
brutality  is  a  frequent  trait,  particu- 
larly of  boys  of  this  age,  for  they  do  not 
lend  themselves  as  easily  as  the  girls  to 
the  polite  usages  and  subterfuges  of 
society.  This  characteristic  must  have 
its  counterbalance  in  genuineness  and 
freedom  from  any  affectation,  especially 
a  pious  one,  on  the  part  of  those  dealing 
with  the  children,  in  order  to  win  their 
love  and  respect. 


THE  JUNIOR  AGE  131 

A  marked  literalism  is  also  apparent, 
and  instead  of  the  delicately  imaginative 
child  of  earlier  years  a  matter  of  fact 
young  person  stands  out  with  a  desire 
for  exact  statement  and,  if  need  be, 
under  such  oath  as,  "Upon  your  word," 
or  ''Cross  your  heart  and  hope  to  die.'* 
There  is  a  strong  sense  of  honor  con- 
nected with  such  asseverations,  and  woe 
betide  the  one  who  swears  falsely  or 
tinkers  with  the  truth. 

There  are  certain  conspicuous  charac- 
teristics which  demand  a  more  detailed 
consideration,  and  the  first  to  be  noted 
is  the  energy. 

ENERGY 

The  very  sound  of  the  word  is  indica- 
tive of  the  nervous  force  that  dominates 
the  life  during  these  years.  It  is  well 
nigh  impossible  for  action  to  be  noise- 
less or  measured  in  this  period,  especi- 
ally during  the  latter  part.  The  energy 
continues  to  be  more  vigorous  in  the 
physical  realm,  and  active  sports  of  all 
kinds  are  attractive.  One  of  the  greatest 
problems  of  nurture  at  this  time,  as  has 


132  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

already  been  suggested,  centers  around 
the  wise  use  of  this  energy  in  the  home, 
the  day  school,  the  Sunday  School  and, 
most  important  of  all,  in  the  hours  un- 
occupied with  definite  tasks,  for  habits 
are  forming  through  its  outgoing. 

THE  SOCIAL  FEELINGS 

Another  striking  characteristic  of  this 
period  appears  in  the  rapid  development 
of  the  social  feelings.  No  longer  is  the 
child  content  with  one  or  two  playmates, 
but  he  craves  the  companionship  of 
several  of  the  same  age  and  sex.  This 
desire  finds  expression  in  the  coterie  of 
bosom  friends,  the  gang  and  the  club 
so  prevalent  between  the  ages  of  ten 
and  fourteen.  The  bonfire  with  its  cir- 
cle of  kindred  spirits,  the  cave  with  its 
password  and  dark  plottings,  the  street 
comer  and  recruiting  whistle  have  al- 
most irresistible  fascination.  What  one 
boy  does  not  dare,  the  gang  will  attempt, 
and  the  composite  conscience  may  fall 
far  below^  that  of  the  individual.  The 
sense  of  honor  already  mentioned  is  very 
strong  among  the  members,  and  in  ab- 


THE  JUNIOR  AGE  133 

solute  loyalty  to  one  another  they  stand 
or  fall. 

These  organizations  exist  among  the 
girls  as  well  as  boys,  but  differ  in  the 
purpose  for  which  they  are  formed,  the 
girls  organizing  more  as  adults,  while 
the  boys'  clubs  are  overwhelmingly  to 
expend  energy,  lawfully  or  otherwise. 

The  dangers  and  opportunities  grow- 
ing out  of  this  strong  tendency  toward 
segregation  can  not  be  overestimated. 
A  walk  along  a  city  street  in  the  evening 
reveals  the  fact  that  the  nurture  of  the 
sidewalk  and  the  ice  cream  parlor  has 
largely  supplanted  the  nurture  of  the 
home  on  the  social  side.  The  table  with 
the  evening  lamp — ''the  home's  light- 
house"— and  the  family  circle  com- 
plete about  it,  are  an  almost  unknown 
experience  in  the  life  of  the  average 
American  child.  In  a  recent  conven- 
tion a  speaker,  who  is  in  charge  of  a 
great  penal  institution  filled  with  human 
derelicts,  said  he  believed  it  to  be  as 
much  a  duty  of  the  church  to  preserve 
at  least  one  evening  a  week  sacred  to  the 
home,  as  to  designate  another  for  the 
prayer  meeting  or  preaching  service. 


134  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

The  home  ought  to  be  the  center  of 
the  child's  social  life.  Why  can  not  the 
lights  and  music  and  companionship 
there  be  made  as  attractive  as  the  lights 
of  the  comer  store,  or  billiard  hall,  or 
the  sound  of  the  street  piano,  which  pave 
the  way  to  the  saloon  and  the  dance 
hall  later?  That  boys  and  girls  will  con- 
gregate during  this  period  and  the  next 
is  a  law  unchangeable  as  the  laws  of  the 
Medes  and  Persians.  Nurture  asks 
whether  the  home  does  not  furnish  a 
better  environment  during  this  ener- 
getic, habit  forming  and  irresponsible 
period  than  the  comer  store  or  the 
**gang?"  It  asks  whether  the  society 
of  those  invited  within  its  doors  for  a 
good  time,  under  the  sympathetic  and 
watchful  eye  of  the  father  and  mother, 
is  not  apt  to  be  more  conducive  to  true 
character  building  than  the  society  of 
the  chance  acquaintance  with  no  cre- 
dentials save  his  skill  in  story  telling  and 
initiation  into  fascinating  mysteries?  It 
asks  still  further,  in  this  age  of  hero  wor- 
ship, whether  the  home  should  not  erect 
the  ideals  of  manhood  and  womanhood 


THE  JUNIOR  AGE  135 

through  example,  through  books,  through 
honored  guests  who  have  achieved  true 
distinction  instead  of  delegating  this 
privilege  to  the  group  around  the  bon- 
fire or  the  man  who  gathers  the  admir- 
ing circle  to  listen  to  the  salacious  tale? 
The  home  which  provides  for  this  social 
craving  within  its  sheltering  walls,  blend- 
ing the  faces  of  father  and  mother  with 
those  of  companions  in  the  most  joyous 
of  good  times,  and,  after  the  evening 
altar,  when  the  lights  are  darkened, 
knows  that  each  pillow  is  pressed  by  its 
own  pure  face,  that  home  is  a  bulwark 
of  the  nation  and  the  ante  chamber  to 
one  of  God's  many  mansions. 

May  God  have  pity  on  the  thousands 
of  children  who  live  in  houses,  but  are 
homeless. 

HERO    WORSHIP 

In  this  new  interest  in  his  fellows,  all 
figures  do  not  stand  out  in  equal  pro- 
portion against  the  child's  horizon.  Some 
loom  very  high,  and  in  the  inner  cham- 
ber of  the  soul,  incense  is  burning  at  their 
shrine.     Out   of  the  earlier   interest   in 


136  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

people,  and  desire  to  imitate  their  ac- 
tions, there  begins  to  emerge  the  great 
passion  of  hero  worship  with  all  its 
power  in  shaping  ideals  and  determining 
character.  If  it  be  true,  indeed,  that 
life  grows  like  what  it  gazes  fixedly  upon, 
then  nurture  has  here  an  important  work. 

The  hero  of  any  period  must  inevit- 
ably embody  that  which  the  life  most 
admires  at  the  time,  hence  physical 
strength  and  skill,  courage  and  daring 
will  be  prominent  factors  in  a  boy's 
hero  in  this  period.  This  hero  may  be, 
perchance,  the  physical  director  of  the 
Y.  M.  C.  A.,  the  champion  baseball  or 
football  player,  an  explorer  or  adven- 
turer, a  desperado,  or — ^happy  case — a 
father  who  has  not  forgotten  how  to 
swim  and  fish  and  hunt  and  play  ball. 
A  boy  always  longs  to  place  his  father 
on  the  throne  of  his  heart,  if  he  is  given 
a  chance,  but  the  fathers  who  covet 
that  place  enough  to  pay  the  price  for  it 
are  too  few. 

A  hard  working  mechanic  said  to  a 
friend,  *'I  made  up  my  mind  I  would 
rather  have  a  backache  when  my  boys 


THE  JUNIOR  AGE  137 

were  little  than  a  heartache  later  on," 
and  so  no  day's  task  was  so  heavy,  no 
toil  so  exhausting  that  when  he  came 
home  at  night  his  two  boys  could  not 
claim  him.  The  cramped  muscles  would 
unlimber  behind  the  bat,  the  tired  limbs 
would  forget  their  weariness  in  the 
jaunt  that  had  been  planned  with  father, 
and  during  the  hours  of  freedom  the 
three  were  chums  in  sports,  in  interests, 
in  confidence.  They  say  there  is  no 
more  beautiful  sight  in  that  town  today 
than  two  stalwart,  manly  fellows  arm 
in  arm  with  the  father,  who  counts  it 
the  joy  and  pride  of  his  life  to  have 
mounted  the  hero's  throne  in  the  hearts 
of  his  sons. 

While  boys  always  choose  a  man  as 
their  hero,  girls  may  choose  either  the 
masculine  or  feminine  character.  They 
are  still  near  enough  Nature's  heart  to 
glory  in  wildness  and  abandon,  and  the 
subtle  delicacy  of  true  womanhood  has 
not  the  charm  for  them  now  it  will  have 
later.  Yet  it  is  part  of  the  priceless 
dower  of  motherhood  to  so  share  in  the 
daughter's  life  through  sympathy  and 


138  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

understanding  that,  to  ''be  like  mother" 
will  embody  all  the  aspirations  of  a  girl- 
ish heart. 

"the  reading  craze" 

The  flame  of  hero  worship  is  fed  from 
two  sources — ^the  life  of  some  one  near 
to  the  child  and  the  passionate  delight 
in  reading  which  characterizes  the  years 
from  about  ten  to  fifteen  and  is  especi- 
ally marked  from  twelve  to  fourteen. 
The  choice  of  books  will  naturally  be 
governed  by  the  strongest  interests.  We 
are  not  surprised,  therefore,  that  every 
page  must  teem  with  life  and  chronicle 
some  achievement,  preferably  in  the 
physical  realm,  for  in  the  thought  of 
the  junior,  "Greater  is  he  that  taketh 
a  city  than  he  who  ruleth  his  own  spirit." 

Toward  the  latter  part  of  this  period 
the  sentimental  novel,  with  all  of  its 
froth  and  perverted  ideals  of  life,  ap- 
peals to  the  girl,  and  it  is  an  open 
question  which  is  more  pernicious, 
"Deadwood  Dick  and  the  Indians"  or 
"Love  at  Sight." 

When  it  is  remembered  that  during 


THE  JUNIOR  AGE  139 

these  years  the  desire  for  reading  is  so 
great  that  it  will  be  satisfied,  surrepti- 
tiously if  not  openly,  that  the  heroes 
and  heroines  strengthen  ideals  of  their 
own  type  in  the  soul  of  the  child,  that 
these  are  the  years  in  which  taste  is 
being  formed,  not  only  in  reading  but 
in  living,  nurture  again  has  a  great  task 
outlined.  "What  is  the  best  way  to 
keep  a  boy  from  eating  green  apples?" 
a  prominent  Sunday  School  worker  often 
asks  in  a  convention.  The  answer  never 
varies:  "Give  him  ripe  ones  to  eat." 
The  child  who  has  plenty  of  well-selected, 
wholesome  literature  will  have  no  appe- 
tite for  the  baneful.  Biography  of  the 
heroic  type,  exploration,  adventure  and 
charming  romances  like  the  "Waverley 
Novels"  will  help  to  lay  sane  and  pure 
foundations  of  character.  The  mission- 
ary boards  are  now  putting  out  books 
as  thrilling  and  stirring  in  their  situa- 
tions as  any  yellow-backed  novel.  These 
the  children  devour  and  the  spiritual 
heroism  makes  its  silent  appeal  along 
with  the  physical. 

This  delight  in  reading  makes  compara- 


140  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

tively  easy  the  formation  of  the  habit 
of  daily  Bible  reading.  If  the  life  is 
more  than  meat,  then  the  time  taken 
by  the  father  or  mother  to  select  fas- 
cinating Bible  biographies  and  stories, 
and  tactfully  to  supervise  the  reading, 
is  at  least  as  wisely  expended  as  that 
used  in  training  a  grape  vine  or  sewing 
a  lace  edge  on  a  ruffle.  Is  it  not  strange 
that  there  is  such  distorted  perspective 
and  false  balance  of  values  in  regard  to 
what  is  worth  while?  The  cares  of  this 
world  crowd  out  so  many  supreme  things. 
Many  a  temptation  in  later  life  would 
have  its  antidote  if  the  Holy  Spirit 
could  bring  the  needed  Scripture  to 
mind,  but  because  some  one  substituted 
the  lesser  for  the  greater,  solicitude  for 
external  appearance  instead  of  inner 
furnishing,  the  Word  is  not  there  to  be 
recalled. 

HABIT   FORMATION 

The  discussion  of  these  marked  char- 
acteristics of  the  life  is  given  added  im- 
port when  we  realize  that  these  years 
are  in  the  height  of  the  habit  forming 


THE  JUNIOR  AGE  141 

period.  All  through  Early  Childhood 
and  Childhood  every  act  has  left  its  faint 
tracing  upon  the  plastic  cells  of  the  brain, 
and  some  of  the  markings  are  deep  ere 
now.  Just  as  water  will  follow  its  chan- 
nel rather  than  cut  a  new  course,  so 
activity  will  expend  itself  in  the  well- 
traced  pathways  unless  prevented  from 
so  doing,  and  the  same  thought  or  stimu- 
lus will  always  tend  to  go  out  in  the 
same  action.  No  thinking  is  necessary 
upon  these  habitual  acts  which  consti- 
tute ''nine  tenths  of  life" — ^they  have  be- 
come mechanical.  Not  only  in  the  body 
does  life  acquire  fixed  habits,  but  also  in 
the  soul,  in  thinking,  feeling  and  choos- 
ing. 

The  seriousness  as  well  as  the  value 
of  a  habit  lies  in  its  tenacity.  No  harder 
task  ever  confronts  a  life  than  to  break 
up  one  habit  and  substitute  another 
after  the  brain  cells  grow  hard.  The 
process  requires  not  only  that  activity 
be  directed  away  from  the  pathway  that 
irresistibly  draws  it,  but  at  the  same 
time  a  new  groove  be  traced  upon  the 
hard,  unyielding  cells.     The  task  is  diffi- 


142  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

cult  beyond  expression.  This  is  why 
reformed  men  always  have  a  hidden 
fear  of  lapsing  into  the  former  life.  It 
is  the  call  of  the  old  pathway,  traced  so 
deeply  in  the  brain. 

A  mature  woman,  brought  up  to  the 
strictest  Sabbath  observance,  came  to 
believe  that  "the  Sabbath  was  made  for 
man  and  not  man  for  the  Sabbath,"  and 
therefore  essayed  to  act  on  that  day 
according  to  her  reason  and  judgment. 
The  attempt  was  soon  abandoned. 
*  There  is  no  pleasure  in  it,"  she  said. 
**I  am  constantly  fighting  the  old  habits 
of  my  girlhood  life,  and  they  will  not 
cease  their  call  to  me."  This  is  what 
the  wise  king  meant  when  he  said,  "Train 
up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go,  and 
when  he  is  old  he  will  not  depart  from 
it."  The  whole  tendency  is  to  "ask  for 
the  old  paths,"  that  there  "may  be  rest 
to  the  soul."  A  part  of  the  miracle  of 
conversion  in  later  life  appears  in  God's 
power  to  trace  new  pathways  when  the 
brain  is  hardened,  and  to  keep  life  in 
them,  moment  by  moment,  against  the 
tug  of  the  old. 


THE  JUNIOR  AGE  143 

Three  statements  will  crystallize  the  dis- 
cussion. First:  The  years  up  to  twelve 
present  two  conditions  for  habit  formation 
— plastic  brain  cells  and  action  easily 
secured — as  no  succeeding  years  present 
them. 

Second:  Habit  formation,  either  right 
or  wrong,  is  constantly  going  on,  for 
every  action  leaves  its  impress  and  makes 
repetition  easier. 

Third:  Right  habits  may  be  formed 
as  easily  as  wrong,  if  the  task  is  defin- 
itely undertaken. 

Since  the  importance  of  these  years 
is  clearly  evident,  the  method  of  habit 
formation  may  be  briefly  stated.  First, 
secure  the  desired  action;  second,  secure 
its  successive  repetition  without  a  lapse, 
as  far  as  possible. 

We  have  already  learned  that  action 
is  the  natural  result  of  an  aroused 
feeling;  therefore,  nurture  will  endeavor 
to  make  the  act  attractive  and  appeal- 
ing where  it  can  be  done,  that  the  cor- 
dial co-operation  of  the  child  may  be 
had.  Hero  worship  may  aid  here,  the 
example  in  the  home  is  imperative  and 


144  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

future  considerations  begin  to  carry 
weight.  Encouragement,  recognition, 
new  interest  and  new  motives  will  all 
contribute  toward  securing  repetition, 
until  unconsciously  the  action  carries 
its  own  constraint  and  outer  influence  is 
unnecessary. 

THE    "golden    memory    PERIOD" 

During  the  years  from  about  nine  to 
fifteen  memory  is  in  its  most  glorious 
period  for  storing  away.  In  early  life 
a  fact  is  retained  chiefly  through  its 
impress  on  the  soft  brain  cells,  for  the 
power  of  association  is  little  developed. 
In  later  life  a  fact  is  retained  almost 
wholly  through  association  with  other 
facts,  for  the  cells  grow  hard  and  an 
imprint  therefore  is  faint.  In  the  ''Gold- 
en Memory  Period"  the  fact  has  the 
double  hold  of  impress  and  association, 
for  the  cells  are  still  plastic  and  associ- 
ative powers  are  developed.  The  task 
and  its  haste  are  evident,  for  this  dual 
condition  never  recurs. 

The  brain  will  now  receive  everything, 
the  abstract,  that  which  is  not  under- 


THE  JUNIOR  AGE  145 

Stood,  the  uninteresting,  as  well  as  that 
which  is  pleasing.  This  is  the  drill 
period,  when  mechanical  repetition  will 
fix  anything,  regardless  of  the  child's 
desire  to  learn,  and  full  comprehension 
is  unnecessary.  It  is  also  the  period 
of  verbal  memory,  and  that  which  ought 
to  be  memorized  exactly  should  be  given 
now. 

RELIGIOUS   LIFE 

If  nurture  has  cared  for  the  spiritual 
life  of  the  child,  he  will  probably  desire 
during  this  period  to  publicly  confess 
his  love  for  Jesus  Christ.  Even  if  he 
has  not  been  so  nurtured,  every  condi- 
tion in  his  life  makes  it  easier  now  than 
it  ever  will  be  later  to  lead  him  to  accept- 
ance of  Christ.  Though  there  comes  a 
great  spiritual  awakening  in  adolescence, 
there  is  at  the  same  time  more  in  the 
life  to  oppose  the  decision  for  Christ  than 
in  childhood.  The  Christian  life  has 
not  the  meaning  for  him  that  it  will  have 
later  on,  spiritual  vision  is  not  broad 
nor  deep,  but  if  the  child  genuinely  loves 
the  Savior  and  wants  to  use  his  energy 


146  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

for  Him,  he  is  laying  at  the  Master's 
feet  all  he  has  now  to  give,  and  if  Christ 
accepts  the  gift,  the  church  ought  to 
accept  the  giver.  There  is  no  greater 
crime  against  childhood  than  to  bar  the 
doors  to  these  babes  in  Christ,  nor, 
assuredly,  can  any  act  bring  keener  pain 
to  the  Passionate  Lover  of  little  children, 
who  said,  "Let  them  come  unto  me,  and 
forbid  them  not." 

APPLICATION    TO    SUNDAY    SCHOOL 
WORK 

Perhaps  a  resume  of  the  conditions 
which  the  Sunday  School  must  meet 
in  this  period  will  make  the  situation 
more  definite. 

The  child  is  increasingly  independent 
and  outspoken,  but  easily  won  by  love 
and  confidence.  He  responds  to  respon- 
sibility, craves  recognition,  glories  in 
show  and  regalia,  wants  to  know  the 
truth  about  things.  He  is  a  hero  wor- 
shipper, abounds  with  energy  and  con- 
siders it  his  inalienable  right  to  have 
fun  with  his  chums.  He  devours  books 
and  magazines,   retains  what  he  reads 


THE  JUNIOR  AGE  147 

and  memorizes  as  never  before.  He  is 
forming  habits  of  life.  He  ought  to  be 
a  sincere  child  Christian  before  he  leaves 
the  Junior  department. 

Manifestly,  in  dealing  with  this  period, 
the  problem  of  nurture  must  find  a  large 
part  of  its  solution  in  the  teacher  him- 
self. Three  things  must  be  vitally  true 
of  the  one  holding  this  responsible  office: 
first,  an  abiding  touch  with  God  that 
shall  mean  Divine  wisdom,  moment  by 
moment,  for  the  exegencies  of  Junior 
work  far  outnumber  the  tread  mill  ex- 
periences; second,  an  understanding  of 
and  genuine  sympathy  with  the  life  of 
the  children;  third,  a  personality  that 
shall  meet  the  conditions  of  hero  wor- 
ship. Some  day  the  church  will  give  to 
every  boys'  class,  in  this  and  succeeding 
periods,  a  trained  Christian  man  to  be 
hero  first,  and  then  teacher,  for  no  boy 
aspires  to  be  like  a  woman,  no  matter 
how  much  he  may  love  her.  But,  though 
a  woman  may  not  reach  up  to  a  boy's 
ideals  along  physical  lines,  nor  should 
she  attempt  it,  there  is  abundant  oppor- 
tunity through  outings,  tramps,  picnics 


148  THE    UNFOLDING   LIFE 

and  genuine  interest  in  their  sports  to 
touch  even  that  side  of  the  life  of  both 
boys   and  girls. 

The  social  needs  must  be  met  through 
frequent  class  and  department  gather- 
ings, preferably  in  the  homes,  for  the 
habit  of  reverence  in  God's  house  will 
receive  almost  fatal  counteraction  in  the 
average  social  gathering  of  this  age  held 
in  the  church.  Organizations  like  the 
"Knights  of  King  Arthur,"  for  boys,  and 
the  ''Sunshine  Club,"  for  girls,  are  to  be 
highly  commended  because  of  their  so- 
cial features,  their  appeal  to  the  love  of 
uniform,  password  and  secrets,  to  hero 
worship  and  to  activity  through  the 
ideals  of  life  and  service  they  make  con- 
crete and  alluring. 

Discipline  of  these  independent,  out- 
spoken boys  and  girls  is  easy  if  the  teach- 
er will  only  lay  hold  of  the  heart  instead 
of  the  coat  collar,  but,  alas,  the  latter 
method  takes  less  time.  The  world  holds 
nothing  truer  and  sweeter  than  the  love 
of  a  child  at  this  age,  free  as  it  is  from 
all  affectation  and  policy,  and  it  is  there 
in  every  heart,   awaiting  the  touch  of 


THE  JUNIOR  AGE  149 

the  teacher  who  can  find  the  hidden 
spring.  The  contact  on  Sunday  is  not 
sufficient,  however,  to  reveal  it.  The 
child  must  know  through  the  letter, 
the  call,  the  invitation  to  the  teacher's 
home,  the  loving  sympathy  in  his  life 
and  interests  that  the  teacher  wants 
him,  not  his  Golden  Text  and  offering, 
and  in  this  knowledge  the  magic  spring 
is  found. 

Besides  the  social  life,  the  teacher 
should  feel  a  responsibility  in  regard  to 
what  the  children  are  reading.  Papers 
like  the  Youth's  Companion  circulated 
among  the  members,  suggestions  as  to 
books  in  the  Sunday  School  or  public 
library,  books  loaned  to  the  children 
and  questions  as  to  their  reading  may 
save  many  a  soul  from  the  slimy  trail 
of  the  serpent  coiled  in  the  dime  novel. 

A  few  suggestions  may  be  added 
relative  to  the  work  in  the  School  itself. 

PLACE 

The  Juniors  should  have  a  separate 
department  and  place,  for  their  work  is 
distinct  in  character  and  methods  from 


150  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

the  Primary  and  Intermediate  depart- 
ments. Maps  and  charts  should  be  add- 
ed to  the  equipment,  individual  and 
personally  owned  Bibles,  and  where  they 
can  be  had,  tables  for  each  class. 

ORGANIZATION 

For  two  important  reasons  the  de- 
partment should  be  divided  into  classes 
and  the  teaching  done  by  the  teachers, 
presupposing  they  have  risen  to  their 
privilege  and  are  trained.  First,  the 
week-day  shepherding  becomes  an  in- 
creasingly serious  matter  as  the  child  is 
broadening  in  his  relationships,  and  no 
superintendent  can  give  it  alone.  Sec- 
ond, the  recitation  must  give  large 
opportunity  for  individual  work  on  the 
part  of  the  pupil  during  the  lesson,  and 
this  is  impossible  in  a  department  taught 
as  a  whole. 

PROGRAM 

The  program  should  give  prominence 
to  supplemental  work  taught  largely 
through  drills,  including — during  the 
Golden  Memory   Period — the   Books  of 


THE   JUNIOR  AGE  151 

the  Bible,  passages,  chapters,  facts  con- 
cerning the  Bible  and  training  in  its 
use,  geography  of  the  Holy  Land,  the 
catechism  where  used  and  the  hymns  of 
the  church.  Public  recognition  in  badges, 
certificates  and  roll  of  honor  will  aid 
in  securing  the  desired  work  along  this 
and  other  lines. 

Systematic  and  careful  training  in 
habits  of  Christian  service  ranks  with 
the  lesson  in  importance.  Responsibili- 
ties in  various  committees  through  the 
week  may  be  used  to  strengthen  habits 
and  utilize  energy.  Missionary  heroes 
should  be  made  as  familiar  to  the  chil- 
dren as  their  own  personal  friends,  and 
there  should  be  regular  contributions 
to  definite  objects,  not  abstractions  like 
"Missions"  or  ''Benevolences." 

Music  of  a  martial  type  is  greatly  en- 
joyed by  the  children,  also  that  suggest- 
ing action,  but  never  the  meditative, 
introspective  sort.  Great  care  should 
be  taken  to  guard  the  voices  from  over- 
strain in  loud  singing,  as  irreparable 
damage  may  be  done  for  all  time  to 
come. 


152  THE    UNFOLDING   LIFE 

THE  LESSON 

The  Junior  lesson  should  be  prepared 
to  meet  the  children's  interest  in  facts 
and  love  of  a  hero.  They  are  not  ready- 
yet  for  truth  in  the  abstract — it  must  be 
seen  in  a  person.  Instead  of  the  story, 
as  in  the  Primary  class,  there  must  be 
a  mingling  of  vivid  word  pictures  by 
the  teacher  and  question  and  answer. 
The  children  should  not  be  told  to  ''study 
the  lesson,"  for  they  do  not  know  how, 
but  rather  have  assigned  to  them  one 
definite  thing  to  prepare  for  the  reci- 
tation. Make  use  of  their  love  of  read- 
ing in  this  connection.  Use  energy  and 
hold  attention  by  means  of  pad  and 
pencil,  written  answers  in  the  books 
they  are  making  on  the  current  lessons, 
map  drawing,  looking  up  references  and 
a  stereoscope  if  possible.  Time  before 
the  session  and  in  the  social  gatherings 
of  the  class  can  be  most  fascinatingly 
and  profitably  used  in  making  pulp  and 
sand  maps  and  models  of  Oriental  ob- 
jects. 

Toward  the  latter  part  of  this  period, 
a  questioning  in  regard  to  Divine  things 


THE   JUNIOR   AGE  153 

may  come,  but  a  questioning  unmixed 
with  the  doubt  of  later  years.  "And 
when  He  was  twelve  years  old,  *  *  * 
they  found  Him  in  the  temple,  sitting  in 
the  midst  of  the  doctors,  both  hearing 
them  and  asking  them  questions."  With 
this  desire  to  know  reasons  for  be- 
lief comes  the  teacher's  golden  oppor- 
tunity for  strengthening  the  foundations 
of  faith  through  history  and  the  testi- 
mony of  ancient  monuments,  where  it 
can  be  adduced,  through  experience  and 
through  God's  Word  itself. 

May  nurture  be  so  true  to  God  and 
the  life  that  the  child  shall  leave  his 
childhood  and  face  the  dawn  of  man- 
hood as  that  One  of  old  with  the  eager 
heart  and  heavenly  vision,  "Wist  ye  not 
that  I  must  be  about  my  Father's  busi- 
ness?" 


CHAPTER  VII 

ADOLESCENCE 

.  Between  the  quiet  unfolding  of  child- 
hood and  the  full  development  of  matu- 
rity, there  lies  a  period  so  fraught  with 
danger  and  so  filled  with  opportunity, 
that  it  is  rightly  considered  life's  crisis. 
A  mistake  at  this  point  is  more  disas- 
trous than  at  any  other,  while  wisdom 
in  dealing  with  the  soul  never  has  such 
rich  reward. 

In  a  general  way,  this  period,  known 
as  Adolescence,  extends  with  boys  from 
about  twelve  to  twenty-four,  and  with 
girls  from  about  eleven  to  twenty-one,  or 
from  the  beginning  of  manhood  and 
womanhood  to  full  maturing. 

A  study  of  the  conditions  that  obtain 
during  these  years  clearly  reveals  the 
reason  for  their  crucial  character. 

1.  It  is  an  awakening  time  of  new 
possibilities,  physical,  mental,  moral  and 
spiritual. 

We  are  already  familiar  with  the  peril 

155 


156  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

and  opportunity  that  attend  the  first 
stages  of  any  development,  because  the 
future  direction  and  strength  of  the  pos- 
sibihty  are  then  so  largely  determined. 
When  we  realize  that  the  highest  possi- 
bilities of  the  soul,  as  well  as  some  of  the 
lowest,  are  now  unfolding,  the  gravity  of 
the  period  is  apparent. 

The  changes  that  come  with  the  soul's 
awakening  are  so  great,  that  often  the 
youth  becomes  a  stranger  to  those  who 
know  him  best.  Ideals,  ambitions,  feel- 
ings, thoughts  and  power  only  dimly,  if 
ever,  recognized  in  childhood  take  posses- 
sion of  the  life.  A  new  conception  of 
God  is  bom  and  a  larger  sense  of  respon- 
sibility to  Him,  to  the  neighbor  and  to 
the  world.  In  these  awakening  possibil- 
ities are  heard  the  siren  voices  of  passion, 
society,  wealth  and  fame  and  the  clear 
call  of  self-sacrifice  and  duty,  and  the 
soul  is  bewildered,  not  knowing  which  to 
heed.  Surely  nurture  is  needed,  for  the 
choices  of  Adolescence  are  in  all  probabil- 
ity the  choices  of  eternity. 

2.  These  are  the  years  of  the  greatest 
susceptibility  to  influence. 


ADOLESCENCE  157 

Everything  that  comes  to  the  life  now 
has  an  impelling  force  that  it  did  not 
have  in  childhood.  Life  is  in  a  state  of 
unstable  equilibrium,  and  a  touch  may 
move  it.  The  influence  of  one  book,  of 
one  friend,  of  one  hasty  word  of  criticism 
or  passing  word  of  encouragement  may 
determine  the  future  of  a  soul. 

3.  During  this  period  habits  become 
permanent. 

The  pathways  traced  through  child- 
hood and  adolescence  become  settled, 
the  cells  gradually  lose  power  to  change, 
and  by  the  close  of  Adolescence,  character 
is  practically  determined,  unless  a  Divine 
power  ''makes  all  things  new." 

4.  The  influence  of  heredity  is  strongly 
felt  during  the  early  part  of  Adolescence. 

A  child  may  be  defrauded  of  his  inher- 
itance in  stocks  and  bonds  and  estates, 
but  the  bequest  of  tendencies  to  which 
his  parents  and  grandparents  and  the 
long  line  back  have  made  him  heir,  can 
not  be  diverted. 

There  is  danger  of  over-emphasizing 
the  doctrine  of  heredity  and  lessening  the 
^nse  of  personal  responsibility  for  con- 


158  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

duct.  There  is  also  danger  of  minimizing 
it,  and  consequently  failing  to  give  the 
help  that  many  a  life  needs  in  its  effort 
to  overcome  an  evil  inheritance. 

Heredity  means  simply  a  pull  upon  the 
life  in  a  certain  direction,  because  of  the 
way  those  before  have  lived.  It  is  easier 
to  climb  upward,  if  ''the  hands  of  twenty 
generations  are  reached  down  from  the 
heights  to  help,  than  as  if  they  reached 
up  from  below  to  drag  down. ' '  But  what- 
ever the  inherited  tendencies,  any  life 
may  have  the  * 'antithetic  heredity," 
which  is  a  part  of  its  glorious  inherit- 
ance in  Jesus  Christ. 

5.  This  period  contains  the  largest 
number  of  first  commitments  for  crime. 

Three  coincident  facts  demand  serious 
and  careful  consideration. 

First.  The  greatest  number  of  first 
commitments  occur  from  twelve  to  six- 
teen. 

Second.  The  greatest  spiritual  awaken- 
ings occur  between  twelve  and  sixteen. 

Third.  "Girls  are  most  susceptible  to 
influence  for  good  or  evil  between  eleven 
to  seventeen,  with  the  climax  about  four- 


ADOLESCENCE  159 

teen,  and  boys  from  twelve  to  nineteen, 
with  the  climax  about  sixteen."  Is  not 
the  work  of  nurture  plain? 

6.  During  the  early  part  of  this  period, 
by  far  the  heaviest  losses  from  church 
and  Sunday  School  occur. 

''While  thy  servant  was  busy  here  and 
there,  he  was  gone."  Who  was  gone? 
A  soul  in  its  crisis,  making  eternal 
choices,  easily  influenced  by  a  word,  a 
look  or  a  touch,  in  the  grip  of  fierce 
temptations,  but  catching  sight  of  Divine 
possibilities,  needing  help  as  at  no  time 
before  or  later,  this  is  the  soul  that 
slipped  away,  in  all  probability,  not  to  be 
brought  back.  You  who  let  it  slip,  "How 
will  you  go  up  to  your  Father  and  the 
lad  be  not  with  you?" 

In  turning  to  a  more  detailed  consider- 
ation of  Adolescence,  we  find  the  wealth 
of  material  so  far  exceeding  the  limita- 
tions of  our  space,  that  the  study 
must  be  selective,  not  analytic.  Only 
those  conditions  in  the  life,  therefore, 
which  seem  most  imperative  in  their 
demands  upon  nurture  will  be  chosen  for 
discussion. 


160  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

EARLY    ADOLESCENCE 

The  first  period  of  Adolescence  covers 
about  four  years,  approximately  from 
twelve  to  sixteen  with  boys  and  eleven 
to  fifteen  with  girls,  and  is  perhaps  the 
most  trying  of  all  to  deal  with. 

The  crisis  in  these  years  is  a  physical 
one,  arising  in  connection  with  the  func- 
tioning of  new  physical  powers.  Coin- 
cident with  this  the  passions  are  born, 
bringing  to  many  lives  the  severest  of 
temptations.  If  ever  a  close  intimacy  is 
needed  between  father  and  son  and 
mother  and  daughter,  it  is  at  this  time 
of  mystery  and  question,  when  the  life 
does  not  understand  itself  nor  the  mean- 
ing of  what  God  now  gives  it.  The 
sacred  confidence  between  parent  and 
child  is  infinitely  better  than  the  best 
intended  book  upon  the  subject,  which 
arouses  further  curiosity  and  kindles  the 
imagination.  When  the  home  fails  in 
nurture  at  this  point,  the  Sunday  School 
teacher  must  earnestly  consider  what  of 
responsibility  falls  upon  him. 

The  rapid  physical  growth  of  these 
years  is  often  accompanied  by  awkward- 


ADOLESCENCE  161 

ness,  due  to  the  fact  that  the  muscles  are 
developing  faster  than  the  bones,  mak- 
ing delicate  adjustment  impossible. 
There  is  painful  sensitiveness  over  this, 
especially  with  boys,  as  hands  and  feet 
must  be  in  the  open,  and  they  will  easily 
construe  any  criticism  or  ridicule  into  a 
desire  to  be  rid  of  their  presence. 

"  *  *  *  *  And  what  if  their  feet, 
Sent  out  of  houses,  sent  into  the  street, 
Should  step  round  the  corner  and  pause  at  the 

door 
Where  other  boys'  feet  have  paused  often  before ; 
Should  pass  through  the  gateway  of  glittering 

light, 
Where  jokes  that  are  merry  and  songs  that  are 

bright 
Ring  out  a  warm  welcome  with  flattering  voice, 
And  temptingly  say,   "Here's  a  place  for  the 

boys!" 
Ah,  what  if  they  should!  What  if  your  boy  or 

mine 
Should   cross  o'er   the  threshold  which  marks 

out  the  line 
'Twixt  virtue  and  vice,  'twixt  pureness  and  sin, 
And  leave  all  his  innocent  boyhood  within  ? 
Ah,  what  if  they  should,  because  you  and  I, 
While  the  days  and  the  months  and  the  years 

hurry  by. 


162  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

Are  too  busy  with  cares  and  with  life's  fleeting 

toys 
To  make  round  our  hearthstone  a  place  for  the 

boys." 

There  is  a  sense  of  pressure  and  nerv- 
ous excitement  throughout  the  whole  life, 
for  the  "invoice  of  energy"  is  not  ex- 
hausted. Athletics  afford  physical  relief, 
and  slang,  which  is  at  its  height  from 
about  thirteen  to  fifteen,  offers  somewhat 
of  an  emotional  safety-valve.  Experi- 
ences are  never  commonplace  during  this 
period,  nor  any  individual  ordinary.  The 
strongest  superlatives  and  most  extrava- 
gant metaphors  will  scarcely  do  a  situa- 
tion adequate  justice,  but  nurture  can 
afford  to  be  patient,  for  ''this,  too,  will 
pass,"  and  of  itself,  as  life  grows  calmer. 

The  feverish  excitement  is  not  at  all  to 
the  distaste  of  the  adolescent  but,  on  the 
contrary,  he  courts  it.  The  "reading 
craze"  is  at  its  height  in  this  period,  and 
books  which  give  "thrills"  are  sought  by 
both  boys  and  girls.  There  is  increasing 
necessity  of  wise  oversight  in  the  choice 
of  reading  when  the  mind  is  so  inflam- 
mable and  easily  led,  and  the  fact  that  a 


ADOLESCENCE  163 

book  is  on  the  shelf  of  the  Sunday  School 
library  is  unhappily  not  always  a  guar- 
antee against  the  need  of  further  parental 
inspection. 

The  abounding  energy  of  this  period, 
when  brought  into  conjunction  with  the 
enlarged  vision  of  life^  often  gives  rise  to 
a  restlessness  and  desire  to  leave  school 
and  go  to  work.  This  is  augmented  by 
the  new  money  sense,  which  is  strong 
about  the  age  of  fourteen,  and  leads  to  an 
effort  to  secure  money  to  save  as  well  as 
to  spend.  This  desire  ought  to  be  met 
by  a  regular  allowance  or  an  opportunity 
for  earning  a  stipulated  sum.  Its  neglect 
is  often  the  explanation  for  the  breaking 
open  of  Sunday  School  banks  or  theft 
from  household  funds. 

But  even  the  satisfying  of  this  desire 
will  not  allay  restlessness,  and  many  a 
school-room  seat  becomes  vacant  in  the 
early  teens.  If,  instead  of  the  harsh 
measures  so  often  used,  the  boy  could 
know  he  had  not  only  the  loving  sympa- 
thy but  also  the  pride  of  his  parents  in 
this  harbinger  of  approaching  manhood; 
if,  in  place  of  force,  he  were  given  choice, 


164  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

after  all  the  considerations  had  been  care- 
fully weighed;  if  he  could  feel  the  confi- 
dence of  father  and  mother  that  he  would 
do  the  manly  thing  because  he  is  almost 
a  man,  he  would  rarely  fail  to  meet  the 
issue,  for  **at  no  time  in  life  will  a  human 
being  respond  so  heartily  if  treated  by 
older  and  wise  people  as  if  he  were  an 
equal."  The  result  will  be  not  only  re- 
newed zest  in  the  erstwhile  hated  task, 
but  a  new  bond  between  parents  and  son 
that  will  help  to  hold  him  true  when 
greater  crises  come. 

The  strong  appeal  that  S3^mpathy  and 
consideration  now  make  to  the  adolescent 
is  due  to  the  new  consciousness  of  self  that 
has  come  to  the  life.  It  has  many  mani- 
festations. There  is  a  welcome  external 
one  that  is  evident  in  care  for  the  personal 
appearance.  The  days  of  maternal  solici- 
tude for  linen  and  ears  come  to  an  end  in 
this  period,  and  it  is  well,  for  the  new 
standard  of  correctness  is  so  high  as  to  be 
unattainable  by  any  one  save  the  individ- 
ual himself. 

A  new  sense  of  pride  in  one's  family  and 
position  appears,  and  an  aristocracy  based 


ADOLESCENCE  165 

on  the  accidents  of  birth  succeeds  the 
democracy  of  childhood.  The  girl  who 
was  sincerely  thankful  that  she  was  not 
as  others  and  assumed  Pharisaic  superi- 
ority because  she  had  been  born  a  Re- 
publican, an  Allopath  and,  crown  of  all,  a 
Baptist,  lived  in  this  period  some  years 
ago. 

This  consciousness  of  self  and  of  ap- 
proaching manhood  and  womanhood 
tends  to  make  the  life  independent,  and 
"any  attempt  to  treat  a  child  at  Adoles- 
cence as  an  inferior  is  instantly  fatal  to 
good  discipline."  In  this  super-sensitive 
state,  a  public  reproof,  even  in  the  home 
circle,  carries  with  it  humiliation  beyond 
expression,  and  inevitably  arouses  resent- 
ment and  not  penitence.  *'At  no  time  in 
life  does  a  word  of  encouragement  mean 
so  much,  or  criticism  leave  such  an  inef- 
faceable scar."  If  those  who  touch  a  life 
through  its  unfolding  only  realized  that 
what  they  sow  of  gentleness  and  con- 
sideration or  of  harshness  and  neglect 
when  that  life  is  defenceless  and  they  are 
strong  will  be  reaped  when  they  in  turn 
are  without  recourse  and  the  child  has  be- 


166  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

come  a  man,  would  there  not  be  more 
tenderness  and  love  in  some  homes  ?  *  *  For 
with  the  same  measure  that  ye  mete, 
withal,  it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again." 

Another  condition  of  great  import  to 
nurture  appears  in  the  increasing  power 
of  the  social  feelings  over  the  life.  Society 
begins  to  fascinate,  and  the  problem  of  a 
High  School  education  is  complicated  with 
the  problem  of  secret  societies  and  school 
dances.  Friends  are  chosen  not  so  much 
for  real  worth  as  for  clothes,  position,  at- 
tractive features  or,  where  there  is  no  in- 
terchange of  confidences  between  parents 
and  children,  for  sympathetic  understand- 
ing. The  longing  for  companionship  is 
God  given  and  must  be  fostered,  else  the 
youth  will  enter  maturity  a  recluse  and 
self-occupied,  but  nurture  must  carefully 
deal  with  it  while  life  is  in  a  state  of  flux. 
The  only  course  to  be  at  all  considered  is 
a  substitutive,  not  prohibitory  one,  giving 
opportunity  for  social  intercourse  under 
proper  conditions. 

The  development  of  the  affectional  side 
of  the  life  during  this  period  must  be  brief- 
ly noted. 


ADOLESCENCE  167 

Hero  love  and  worship  are  more  pas- 
sionate than  before.  The  object  of  ad- 
miration is  usually  some  one  outside  of 
the  home,  often  a  favorite  teacher  who 
understands  the  heart  of  a  boy  and  a  girl. 
The  patterning  of  the  life  after  its  ideal  is 
most  seriously  undertaken,  even  to  imita- 
tion of  personal  mannerisms.  The  priv- 
ilege and  responsibility  of  being  the  lode 
star  of  an  unresisting,  unpoised  life  is 
tremendous,  for  this  influence  overpowers 
all  others  at  the  time. 

Strange  manifestations  of  that  which 
will  later  be  love,  holy  and  beautiful,  be- 
tween man  and  woman  characterize  these 
years.  At  first  there  is  a  mutual  repul- 
sion between  the  sexes.  The  boys  are 
"so  rough  and  horrid,"  and  as  for  the 
girls — the  masculine  sentiment  concern- 
ing them  was  voiced  by  one  young  cava- 
lier in  the  words,  "Oh,  mush!"  when  his 
Sunday  School  class  was  asked  if  they 
would  like  to  invite  their  "lady  friends" 
to  the  coming  class  party. 

But  this  stage  does  not  continue,  and 
soon  nurture  must  deal  with  notes  written 
by  foolish  maidens  and  the  first  glamour 


168  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

of  the  great  passion,  "sicklied  o'er"  with 
callowness  and  sentimentahty.  There  is 
no  more  perplexing  problem  in  Adoles- 
cence than  how  to  handle  wisely  this 
vernal  manifestation  of  love. 

Blessed  is  the  home  where  there  are 
congenial  and  sympathetic  brothers  and 
sisters,  and  wholesome  and  absorbing  oc- 
cupations. It  is  the  vacuous,  roaming 
soul  which  is  a  prey  to  the  multi-tempta- 
tions of  this  period.  If  the  tastes  and 
wishes  of  the  young  people  can  be  satisfied 
in  the  home,  and  a  hearty  and  natural 
companionship  of  the  sexes  be  welcomed 
in  this  healthy  environment,  nurture  will 
be  bringing  sanest  measures  to  bear  upon 
the  situation. 

Against  this  complex  background,  the 
necessity  of  a  personal  acquaintance  with 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  stands  out  in  start- 
ling relief.  Though  God  comes  to  a  soul 
in  a  marked  way  during  Adolescence, 
nurture  is  taking  a  dangerous  and  often 
fatal  risk  in  allowing  life,  as  far  as  human 
effort  can  go,  to  enter  its  crisis  without 
Him.  The  spiritual  awakening  of  this 
period  (to  be  considered  in  the  succeeding 


ADOLESCENCE  169 

chapter)  would  seem  to  be  God's  call  to 
larger  service,  rather  than  His  first  sum- 
mons to  ' 'Follow  Me." 

With  the  Master's  authority  to  let  the 
children  come,  and  with  every  condition 
in  child  life  God  prepared  for  their  coming, 
there  is  no  tenable  position  but  belief  that 
our  Father  meant  every  life  to  enter  its 
period  of  "storm  and  stress,"  in  step  with 
Jesus  Christ. 

APPLICATION  TO  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 
WORK 

Sunday  School  work  during  Adolescence 
and  maturity  lays  less  emphasis  upon 
methods  and  equipment  than  in  the  ear- 
lier periods,  and  more  emphasis  on  the 
personal  relation  between  teacher  and 
pupil.  For  this  reason  the  preceding 
study,  in  so  far  as  it  interprets  the  lives 
of  the  boys  and  girls,  applies  directly  to 
Sunday  School  work,  for  a  sympathetic 
understanding  is  the  key  to  the  relation- 
ship. "There  is  no  greater  blessing  that 
can  come  to  a  boy  (or  girl)  at  this  age 
when  he  does  not  understand  himself, 
than  a  good,  strong  teacher  who  under- 


170  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

stands  him,  has  faith  in  him,  and  will  day 
by  day  lead  him  till  he  can  walk  alone." 
Far  more  than  a  pedagogue,  the  adoles- 
cent needs  a  friend  in  his  Sunday  School 
teacher,  who  shares  his  ambitions,  knows 
his  temptations,  sympathizes  with  his 
successes  and  failures  and,  through  it 
all,  trusts  him.  This  understanding  and 
confidence,  made  long-suffering  and  ten- 
der by  the  love  that  never  fails,  will  be  a 
binding  cord  that  can  not  be  broken  even 
by  the  most  restless,  wayward  life. 

Because  of  the  close  relationship  to  be 
sought  between  teacher  and  pupil,  other 
things  being  equal,  it  is  wise  for  a  class 
of  boys  to  be  taught  by  a  man,  and  girls 
by  a  woman.  The  counsel  of  one  who  has 
passed  through  the  same  experiences  and 
known  the  same  temptations  and  difficul- 
ties always  comes  with  especial  helpful- 
ness. But  the  question  of  sex  is  not  as 
vital  as  that  of  sympathy,  nor  the  manner 
of  previous  experience  as  the  manner  of 
present  love. 

The  new  consciousness  of  distinction 
will  make  the  class  work  difficult,  if  there 
is  any   marked   difference  in  the  social 


ADOLESCENCE  171 

standing  of  its  members .  The  leader  must 
be  won  to  the  right  attitude  in  private, 
the  appeal  being  based  on  personal  feeling 
for  the  teacher  and  on  the  new  ideals  of 
relationship  to  others,  which  are  beginning 
to  take  form. 

An  organization  of  the  class  in  this  and 
succeeding  periods  is  necessary  for  the  best 
work.  It  should  place  definite  respon- 
sibilities upon  each  member,  either  as 
officer  or  committee-man,  for  habits  of 
Christian  service  must  be  solicitously  nur- 
tured during  these  days. 

Frequent  social  gatherings  are  very  im- 
portant. This  is  the  age  when  the  young 
people  begin  to  think  that  "a  Christian 
can  not  have  any  fun,"  and  it  rests  with 
the  chiu-ch  and  Sunday  School  to  prove 
to  them  the  contrary.  The  only  convinc- 
ing proof  is  in  experiencing  the  fact  itself 
that  the  best  times  have  a  religious  as- 
sociation, therefore  a  class  party  should 
be  as  carefully  and  as  prayerfully  planned 
as  a  Sunday  School  lesson. 

As  these  years  are  included  in  the 
Golden  Memory  period,  supplemental 
work  of  more  advanced  type  should  be 


172  THE  UNFOLDING  LIFE 

continued.  Note  books  are  helpful  in 
amplifying  and  impressing  the  lesson,  and 
brief  essays  upon  pertinent  topics  add 
interest. 

The  teaching  itself  must  deal  more  and 
more  with  the  relationships  of  life.  To 
the  majority  of  young  people,  the  Bible 
belongs  to  an  uncertain  and  remote  past. 
The  goal  of  work  in  these  unsettled  years 
is  to  help  them  see  how  the  Book  solves 
all  problems  of  present-day  living,  and 
how  Jesus  Christ  meets  every  personal 
need  of  the  life. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

MIDDLE  AND  LATE  ADOLESCENCE 

The  crisis  of  adolescence  may  be  said 
to  culminate  about  the  years  from  fifteen 
to  seventeen  with  girls,  and  sixteen  to 
eighteen  with  boys, or  the  period  of  Middle 
Adolescence.  During  these  years  the 
feelings  and  the  imagination  are  a  great 
storm  center,  largely  because  of  the  rapid 
development  of  the  altruistic  feelings,  and 
the  enlarged  conception  of  life  with  the 
new  ideals  it  has  given. 

Divine  Wisdom  in  the  order  of  the 
soul's  unfolding  can  be  seen  nowhere 
more  clearly  than  in  connection  with  the 
growth  of  responsibility  for  another. 
There  must  first  be  the  self  feelings  in  the 
little  child,  to  help  him  learn  his  own 
individuality.  When  that  knowledge 
comes,  his  life  must  be  related  to  other 
lives,  hence  the  social  feelings  awaken, 
yet  it  is  for  his  personal  pleasure  that 
contact  with  others  is  sought.     But  God's 

173 


174  THE    UNFOLDING   LIFE 

plan  for  a  life  does  not  leave  it  self  cen- 
tered, and  under  His  touch  through  these 
lives  a  sense  of  responsibility  toward  them 
begins  to  be  felt,  and  the  realization 
comes  that  *'No  man  liveth  unto  him- 
self." Ideals  which  make  the  good  of 
others  first,  enter  into  conflict  with  child- 
ish ideals  which  made  personal  gain  first. 
A  new  impulse  to  forget  self  in  loving 
service  confronts  the  old  self  seeking  and 
self  love.  Then  the  truth  that  "No  man 
can  serve  two  masters,"  fastens  itself 
upon  the  soul  and  decision  waits  between 
self  and  selflessness.  In  a  struggle  that 
often  shakes  a  life  to  its  foundations,  the 
great  choice  is  made  and  the  soul  yields 
itself  servant  to  obey.  Though  a  reversal 
of  either  choice  is  possible,  it  rarely 
occurs.  This  decision  usually  determines 
destiny. 

A  new  meaning  and  value  in  early 
nurture  is  revealed  in  the  light  of  this 
struggle.  If  love  for  Jesus  Christ  has 
grown  through  the  years  in  the  heart 
of  the  child  and  the  youth,  a  decision 
that  means  fuller  allegiance  to  Him  and 
greater  blessing  to  the  world  is  assured. 


ADOLESCENCE  175 

If  also  during  these  years  nurture  has 
traced  pathways  of  service,  as  an  ex- 
pression of  child  love  to  God  and  to 
others,  habit  adds  the  influence  of  its 
tendencies  to  the  choice  of  ministering 
life,  and  offers  channels  already  prepared 
for  the  outflow  of  sacrificial  love. 

The  years  preceding  have  not  been 
utterly  devoid  of  altruistic  feeling,  but 
adolescence  presents  marked  difference  in 
its  manifestation,  other  than  that  of  in- 
tensity. 

In  early  life,  the  willingness  to  consider 
others  before  self  was  usually  aroused 
through  the  influence  of  some  one  else; 
now  the  longing  and  constraint  is  within 
the  individual  himself.  Again,  in  child- 
hood, these  feelings  were  called  out  only 
by  some  definite,  concrete  object;  now 
they  are  stimulated  by  great  ideas  as  well. 
Patriotism,  humanity,  suffering,  duty,  art 
and  science  have  power  to  kindle  flame 
on  the  altar  of  sacrifice.  The  more  diffi- 
cult the  task  suggested,  the  greater  the 
power  of  its  wooing.  It  is  doubtful 
whether  any  Christian  life  ever  passes 
through  this  period  without  considering 


176  THE    UNFOLDING    LIFE 

the  ministry  or  the  mission  field,  or 
whether  every  life  does  not  at  some 
moment  long  to  go  in  quest  of  a  Holy 
Grail. 

The  issues  growing  out  of  this  crisis 
are  too  momentous  to  leave  with  even 
the  wisest  human  nurture.  God  Him- 
self must  deal  with  the  soul  face  to  face, 
and  lead  it  to  this  higher  love  and  com- 
plete surrender. 

In  early  years  He  revealed  Himself  as 
Creator,  Heavenly  Father  and  Friend  to 
the  loving,  trusting  heart  of  the  little 
child.  Now  the  time  has  come  to  make 
His  glory  pass  before  the  soul.  The 
marvels  of  creation  in  Nature,  in  con- 
stellation and  atom,  the  infinities  of 
eternity  and  space,  the  mysteries  of  life 
and  death,  His  own  holiness  and  justice 
and  all  the  attributes  of  His  matchless 
character,  the  unspeakable  love  that 
gave  a  Bethlehem  and  a  Calvary  to  a  sin 
sick  race  are  revealed  in  new  light  and 
meaning,  and  the  revelation  is  over- 
whelming. Existence  that  had  been  ac- 
cepted without  question  now  becomes 
complex  and  baffling.     God  is  no  longer 


ADOLESCENCE  177 

the  gentle  Lover  and  strong  Protector  of 
childhood  days,  but  the  great  "I  AM," 
and  in  the  terrible  crystal  of  His  pres- 
ence the  soul  is  prostrate.  With  deep, 
added  meaning  the  Cross  stands  out. 
Its  message  of  salvation,  not  only  to  this 
soul  conscious  of  its  need,  but  to  a  sin- 
ning world,  is  heard  anew;  but  with  it 
comes  the  voice  of  the  crucified  and  risen 
Lord,  *'If  any  man  will  come  after  Me, 
let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross 
and  follow  Me." 

The  answer  cannot  be  returned  in 
emotional  love.  It  must  be  the  love  pf 
all  the  heart,  soul,  mind  and  strength, 
bom  in  self  surrender.  If  this  be  the 
sours  response,  the  final  triumph  and 
glory  of  the  life  of  self  losing  is  pledged, 
not  in  the  fluctuating  efforts  of  a  human 
will,  but  in  the  changeless  strength  of 
the  Son  of  God. 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  when 
a  soul  is  in  the  throes  of  such  experiences 
as  these,  it  is  a  time  of  storm  and  stress. 
Yet  often  the  struggle  is  carried  on  alone, 
in  silence,  for  life  becomes  secretive.  The 
open  frankness  of  childhood  is  gone,  and 


178  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

only  to  one  in  close  sympathy  will 
thoughts  and  feelings  which  sound  foun- 
dation depths  be  revealed.  It  does  not 
at  all  follow  that  because  there  is  a  phys- 
ical tie  between  two  lives,  that  there  will 
be  union  of  spirit  in  this  time  of  need. 
The  tragedy  of  so  many  homes  is  dis- 
closed in  the  distance  between  father 
and  son,  and  mother  and  daughter,  that 
has  widened  almost  imperceptibly  through 
the  years  from  lack  of  sympathy  and  con- 
fidence. 

This  close  relationship  which  admits 
to  the  Holy  Place  of  the  soul  in  its  crisis 
cannot  be  lightly  cast  away,  and  as  easily 
renewed  at  will.  It  is  a  growth  of  the 
years,  to  be  nurtured  patiently,  prayer- 
fully, watchfully,  steadily.  A  guest  in 
the  home  of  a  busy  physician  noted  the 
peculiarly  tender  and  close  relationship 
which  existed  between  the  father  and 
his  son,  a  splendid  boy  of  about  ten  years 
of  age.  In  answer  to  her  comment  upon 
it,  the  father  said  with  moist  eyes,  *'We 
are  very  close  to  one  another.  I  know 
there  is  a  time  coming  in  his  life  when 
he  will  need  a  father  as  he  has  never 


ADOLESCENCE  179 

needed  him  before,  and  I  mean  to  be 
ready.  I  never  take  a  long  drive  in  the 
country,  that  I  do  not  have  him  excused 
from  school  to  go  with  me.  He  wants 
to  be  a  surgeon,  so  whenever  I  have  to 
perform  an  operation,  I  always  have  him 
help  me  in  some  way.  Up  to  this  time 
there  is  nothing  that  weighs  for  a  minute 
with  him  over  against  an  opportunity 
to  be  with  me,  and  I  am  trying  to  keep 
his  life  so  close  to  mine  that  nothing  can 
ever  come  between  us."  When  that  boy 
reaches  his  crisis  and  life  closes  up,  his 
father  will  be  shut  inside  with  him. 
Is  there  any  question  as  to  the  outcome, 
with  a  father  and  a  father's  God  within? 

If,  in  the  busy  cares  of  life,  the  in- 
timacy that  God  intended  in  the  home 
has  been  lost,  it  may  be  found  again  if 
the  price  of  its  recovery  be  paid,  but  it 
is  often  a  dear  price,  payable  in  the  coin 
of  self  humiliation,  sacrifice  and  tears. 

The  need  of  this  close  touch  with  an- 
other is  apparent  in  the  unspeakable 
longing  of  the  adolescent  heart  for  under- 
standing and  sympathy,  for  appreciation 
and  recognition,  for  help  in  choosing  the 


180  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

life  work,  and  for  love  that  is  patient 
and  deep.  Perhaps  the  greatest  longing 
of  all  is  to  be  trusted,  to  feel  the  strong 
grip  of  a  hand  and  hear  a  voice  vibrant 
with  encouragement  and  assurance  say, 
"I  know  you  can  do  it."  If  the  greatest 
successes  in  reformatory  work  come  to- 
day through  loving  confidence  in  the 
one  who  has  started  wrong,  who  can 
measure  the  energizing  power  of  such 
confidence  in  a  life  already  striving 
toward  the  best? 

The  pathetic  side  of  this  craving  for 
confidence  appears  in  the  distrust  of  self 
which  is  almost  universal  at  times  dur- 
ing these  years.  A  great  wave  of  am- 
bition and  enthusiasm  will  sweep  over 
the  soul,  and  nothing  seems  too  great  to 
be  attained,  nor  any  obstacles  unsur- 
mountable.  As  suddenly  it  will  recede, 
the  ideals  become  impossible,  the  individ- 
ual but  an  atom  in  God's  great  universe, 
the  sky  grows  gray  and  hope  dies  out.  In 
the  vacillation  between  energy  and  indif- 
ference, enthusiasm  and  apathy,  self 
loving  and  self  hating,  goodness  and 
badness,  confidence  and  despair,  the  ebb 


ADOLESCENCE  181 

and  flow  of  the  tide  in  the  soul  is  revealed 
to  understanding  eyes. 

For  this  fluctuation  of  purpose  and 
failure  to  reach  its  high  ideals,  stem 
sentence  is  passed  at  the  inner  bar  of 
judgment,  and  though  the  censure  of 
another  is  resented,  the  soul  bears  great 
scars  of  flagellation,  self  inflicted.  The 
standard  of  measurement  by  which  the 
life  tests  itself  and  others  is  a  new  con- 
sciousness that  there  is  absolute  right 
and  absolute  wrong  apart  from  all  ex- 
ternal coverings.  The  statements  of 
others  are  examined,  their  actions  are 
stripped  of  all  veneer,  profession  and 
practice  are  balanced,  and  death  sen- 
tence is  passed  upon  the  influence  of  any 
life  that  fails  to  meet  the  test.  The 
compassion  that  rem_embers  that  we  are 
but  dust  has  no  place,  in  the  heart  as  yet. 
Suffering  will  call  out  sympathy,  but  not 
failure  to  reach  the  mark.  A  life  must 
ring  true  to  God,  true  to  its  fellow  men 
and  true  to  the  ideals  conceived  as  be- 
longing to  it  by  these  self-appointed 
judges,  if  it  is  to  be  of  any  help  to  them. 
It  is  therefore  not  a  question  whether  the 


182  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

professing  Christian,  be  he  parent,  teach- 
er or  church  member,  can  indulge  in 
doubtful  amusements  or  uncertain  prac- 
tices without  injury  to  himself.  It  is 
rather,  ''Are  these  things  included  in  the 
ideal  of  a  Christian  life,  as  it  is  held  by 
those  whom  I  want  to  touch?"  If  they 
who  bear  the  name  of  Christ  exemplified 
more  completely  the  ideals  by  which 
they  are  measured,  would  there  be  so 
many  who  question  the  reality  of  divine 
things  ? 

It  is  during  the  closing  period  of  Ado- 
lescence, ending  with  young  men  about 
twenty-four  and  with  young  women 
about  twenty-one,  that  doubt  most  fre- 
quently appears.  It  comes  rather  as  a 
questioning  and  bewilderment  to  the 
Christian,  and  scepticism  to  the  one  who 
has  had  no  experience  of  divine  things. 
Spiritual  truth  is  not  accepted  because 
another  has  said  it  is  so,  but  each  desires 
to  know  for  himself  the  foundation  upon 
which  he  stands,  that  he  may  have  a 
reason  for  the  hope  that  is  in  him.  In- 
vestigation seems  to  show  that  at  least 
two  out  of  three  pass  through  this  period 


ADOLESCENCE  183 

of  intellectual  unrest,  young  men  being 
in  the  majority. 

Many  causes  contribute  to  this  con- 
dition, but  chief  among  them  is  the 
maturing  strength  of  reason  and  will. 
The  new  power  to  think  God's  thoughts 
after  Him,  to  trace  cause  and  effect,  to 
understand  subtle  relationships,  intoxi- 
cates the  soul.  Everywhere  in  the  world 
around,  the  pre-eminence  of  reason  is 
acknowledged.  The  atmosphere  of  the 
university  and  the  college  which  sur- 
rounds the  favored  young  men  and 
women  is  an  atmosphere  of  scientific 
accuracy,  where  reason  applies  the  tests. 
The  world  of  business,  of  finance  and  of 
statecraft  all  bow  to  reason, — why  not 
the  spiritual  world,  and  then  by  searching, 
the  soul  attempts  to  find  out  God.  As 
in  the  wisdom  of  God  divine  things  do 
not  yield  up  their  treasures  in  intel- 
lectual investigation  but  in  revelation, 
the  thick  darkness  gathers.  Even  that 
which  had  been  once  known  by  faith 
seems  strange  and  unreal  from  this  new 
view  point.  It  is  a  critical  time  for  a 
soul  when  it  is  learning  that  in  one  realm 


184  THE   UNFOLDING  LIFE 

reasoi?i  does  not  go  before,  but  faith. 
Any  harshness  or  lack  of  sympathy  on 
the  part  of  another  or  evident  disappoint- 
ment in  the  life  is  very  serious  at  this 
point.  The  will  asserts  itself  under  such 
measures  and  from  the  pliant  attitude, 
"I  cannot  believe  what  I  cannot  explain," 
it  takes  the  defiant  attitude,  "I  will  not 
believe  what  I  cannot  explain." 

The  marvelous  dealing  of  our  Lord 
with  Thomas  is  a  picture  of  His  gracious 
dealing  with  every  doubting  heart,  and 
ought  to  be  the  perpetual  model  for  every 
one  who  attempts  to  give  help  at  this 
time.  When  the  Master  stood  .before 
that  disciple  who  said  he  would  not  be- 
lieve unless  he  had  the  indubitable  proof 
of  a  physical  testing.  He  spoke  no  words 
of  censure,  no  words  of  His  pain  that 
Thomas  had  been  so  long  time  with  Him 
and  yet  did  not  know  Him  in  faith. 
* 'Jesus  said,  'Peace  be  unto  you.  Reach 
hither  thy  finger,  and  see  My  hands, 
and  reach  thither  thy  hand  and  put  it 
into  My  side  and  be  not  faithless  but 
believing,'  and  Thomas  answered  and 
said  unto  Him,  'My  Lord  and  my  God!'  " 


ADOLESCENCE  185 

With  like  patience  and  infinite  tender- 
ness, the  Spirit  deals  with  the  troubled 
heart  today.  He  makes  the  past  days 
with  God  live  again  in  memory,  if  the 
life  has  known  Him,  and  the  soul  can 
not  den}^  in  its  reason  the  reality  of  what 
it  has  lived  through  in  its  experience. 
He  uses  every  Christian  life  that  can  bear 
the  search  light  as  an  irrefutable  argu- 
ment of  the  verity  of  the  unseen.  He 
brings  the  peace  of  God  that  passeth 
understanding,  yet  fills  and  thrills  the 
soul  as  every  service  for  Him  is  rendered 
even  in  the  darkness.  He  calls  through 
hard  experience  where  reason  can  bring 
no  comfort  and  the  will  is  palsied, 
through  the  abiding  unrest  and  longing 
of  a  heart  that  is  feeling  after  God  in  its 
own  way,  instead  of  His,  and  through  the 
drawing  of  childhood  habits  of  love  and 
trust.  When  at  last,  spent  out  with 
struggle  and  longing,  the  soul  is  willing 
to  come  back  to  the  Heavenly  Father  as 
the  little  child  who  used  to  be,  asking  only 
to  walk  hand  in  His,  in  dark  or  light,  a 
new  consciousness  dawns,  clear,  sure  and 
absolute    that,  'Thus  saith  the  Lord," 


186  THE   UNFOLDING   LIFE 

is  more  than  reason,  and  the  triumphant 
song  rings  out,  '*I  know  whom  I  have 
believed,  My  Lord  and  My  God!" 

APPLICATION  TO  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 
WORK 

The  Sunday  School  touches  a  life  just 
entering  maturity  at  the  focal  point 
toward  which  all  nurture  has  been  tend- 
ing. Enriched  by  years  of  absorption, 
with  ideals  defined  and  channels  of  ex- 
pression traced,  the  soul  faces  an  open 
door,  bearing  the  inscript  ** Service." 
It  is  that  each  soul  may  enter  the  door 
and  give  back  to  a  waiting  world  its  best, 
that  nurture  has  brooded  and  guarded 
through  the  years. 

The  great  work  of  the  Sunday  School 
is  to  impel  the  soul  to  take  this  step,  and 
taking  it,  say,  ''I  am  debtor."  This  can 
not  be  done  through  any  system  of 
methods,  neither  are  narrow  interests  or 
unexacting  tasks  sufficient  to  arouse  all 
that  the  soul  has  now  to  give.  The  great 
sweep  and  mighty  force  of  world  move- 
ments are  alone  adequate  for  a  soul  in 
touch  with  God  and  infinities. 


ADOLESCENCE  187 

There  has  never  been  a  time  in  the 
history  of  Sunday  School  work  when 
there  were  such  far  reaching,  thrilHng 
movements  through  which  to  appeal  to 
manhood  and  womanhood  as  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  and  God's  Hand  is  not  hidden 
in  the  matter. 

The  Adult  Bible  Class  movement,  en- 
listing the  greatest  company  of  thinking 
men  and  women  ever  gathered  for  the 
study  of  the  Word,  is  a  call  to  open 
loyalty  to  the  Book  and  to  the  church, 
that  is  winning  recruits  by  the  thou- 
sands. 

The  great  Teacher  Training  movement, 
with  its  exacting  standards  and  high 
ideals  of  preparation,  is  leading  the 
choicest  young  people  to  seek  the  holy 
service  of  teaching. 

The  world  encircling  Missionary  move- 
ments, the  definite  plan  to  give  the  gospel 
to  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  this 
generation,  the  marvellous  ingatherings 
already  reported  from  the  foreign  field, 
the  unparalleled  opportunities  to  make 
richest  investment  of  life  in  the  waking 
Orient,  these  arouse  the  enthusiasm  and 


188  THE    UNFOLDING   LIFE 

conviction  which  issue  in  prayers  and 
gifts  and  pledge  of  Student  Volunteers. 

In  our  own  land,  the  ethical  awakening 
with  its  triumphs  for  Temperance  and 
civic  righteousness,  the  great  conven- 
tions and  conferences  held  for  the  King- 
dom, the  sweeping  evangelistic  cam- 
paigns with  their  trophies  for  Christ,  and 
the  new  life  stirring  in  the  church,  move- 
ments all,  God  initiated,  God  directed, 
throbbing  with  His  Almighty  power  and 
revealing  the  oncoming  of  His  triumph, 
these  give  the  challenge  and  the  inspira- 
tion to  men  and  women,  and  response  is 
coming  in  ever  swelling  volume,  "Here 
am  I,  send  me!" 

It  is  the  crowning  mission  of  the  Sun- 
day School  to  relate  these  great  interests 
to  individual  lives,  and  interpret  for 
them  the  meaning  in  terms  of  love  and 
Service.  To  whom  shall  the  task  be  giv- 
en? To  the  teacher  of  transparent  life, 
who  can  hold  the  world  and  the  one  in  his 
heart,  who  can  read  the  signs  of  the  times 
and  the  signs  of  the  soul,  and  who  has 
nurtured  with  the  Divine  One  through 
the  years,  to  him  shall  be  given  God's 
crowning  task  with  an  Unfolding  Life. 


